


Naruto of The Wizarding World

by PauloPT



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Naruto
Genre: Alchemist Naruto, BAMF Uzumaki Naruto, Betty - Freeform, Chaser Naruto, Crossover, F/M, Gryffindor Naruto, Magizoology (Harry Potter), Minor Character Death, Potion Prodigy Naruto, Quidditch, Redeemed Uzumaki Family, Riverdale, Smart Uzumaki Naruto, Torture, War, love romance - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-15 23:07:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 59
Words: 198,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29197344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PauloPT/pseuds/PauloPT
Summary: What if Naruto's entire life was in Harry Potter's World?What if if was not a Ninja but a Wizard?What if he wasn't just a one trick pony but a legend in making?No What ifs, this is the story that makes all those What ifs true.Naruto X Harry Potter crossover.
Relationships: Uzumaki Naruto/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 49
Kudos: 24





	1. Book 1 Chapter 1: The Beggining of a Legend

**Author's Note:**

> This story is not mine, it belongs to AnadiMishra1 who gave me permission to post on AO3.  
> You can check his work on Wattpad - https://www.wattpad.com/story/219317418-naruto-of-the-wizarding-world
> 
> DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters. They are the property of JK Rowling and Masashi Kishimoto and I am not profiting from this piece in any way.

**"Lumos!"**

My name is Naruto Namikaze , son of Kushina Uzumaki and Minato Namikaze. Youngest of three siblings and this is my story, It starts from the time when I was 10 and gained my partners, my first friends, my guides through the darkness, my familiars and above all my true power.

* * *

A blond boy of about 4 feet 9 inches in height can be seen walking in the woods, he was wearing a black kimono but he was not alone. A house elf who was a feet smaller in height to him can be seen walking behind him, the elf was wearing complete butler clothes and the boy looked to around ten year old.

As they were walking the elf who seemed to be watching the boy like a hawk finally spoke.

"Master Naruto, when I gave you your father's old potions and magical creature books, I did not expect you to come to the forest to hunt for ingredients. I must say, this is very dangerous"

To this, the now identified Naruto replied by looking back at the elf with his piercing blue eyes and a smirk on his whiskered face.

"Dangerous? When I have a strong elf like you sticking with me, what do I have to worry about?"

The elf wanted to reply but he was interrupted before he could add words to his action of raising a finger to make a point.

"Do not worry Sewanin (caretaker). All you have to do is spend 1 more year with me and your debt to my mother will be paid and you can leave me to my own demise, but before that time comes, let me live dangerously under your protection for I will have to live carefully forever after that anyway." Naruto finished with a kind smile.

Now, the smile and his tone may be kind. His words were not.

The thing was simple, Naruto was the black sheep, he looked like his father and his 'Presence' was of a half blood. Unlike his sisters who had the presence of pure bloods, looked like Uzumaki, so to protect them Kushina had to officially disown Naruto. She had to make the official statement that she only had two children and as for Naruto.  
He was kept under the care of his mother's old house elf Sewanin at the beginning, he did have some other family taking care of him but soon even they left.

Sewanin was one of the few people in the world that knew Naruto's truth.  
He had seen and delivered Naruto's letters and photographs from his mother.

He had seen Naruto crave for his mother's presence in his life that he never could get that.

Kushina's pain was also evident as she had done everything she could, to make his life a little better. He was allowed anything he wanted except recognition, family and friends till he could leave for school

His life had made him old way too young and the acceptance of his fate was clear in his old blue eyes.  
Acceptance of loneliness. Acceptance of that fear inside his soul that he was all alone. Surprisingly though that fear had decreased over time but it was still there.

  
There once was a boy who was tortured and hated by his fellow villagers. With no one to love or pay attention to him, he constantly played pranks on the villagers as a w...  
After Naruto accepted his fate and then realisations of a few new facts led Naruto to make two requests that changed everything.  
The biggest of the facts was that if he couldn't have his Family as an Uzumaki then he was going to get it as Namikaze. Which should have been the case from the very start.

First request he made was that considering the fact that every single person in the Asian culture knew of Uzumaki family, Naruto wanted to go abroad. Make a name for himself.

He chose Hogwarts as the place where he went.

Request number two was that he wanted everything that belonged to his father as his. He had asked secretly asked his mother and she had agreed to that. So, all his father's possessions now belonged to him. Well not exactly now, he had to wait till he was 11 for all that to happen.

However he had sent Sewanin to get him some of his father's books on Potions and Magical Creatures.


	2. Book 1 Chapter 2: The Bird and The Fox

We finally start at the day's morning when Sewanin gave Naruto the books and with a purpose Naruto divulged himself in the books.

It was during late afternoon that Naruto came out of his room and immediately told Sewanin to take him to this particular location.

As Sewanin's head was filled with a multitude of thoughts he did notice Naruto stop his March and come to a sudden stop.

He turned around, looked directly in the elf's eyes and said.

"You stay right here. If I don't return within the next 2 hour. Leave without me. If you come to find me I will kill you"

Sewanin would have said something against Naruto's words but he was Naruto's elf and he had to follow all of Naruto's orders. So, with a nod and then bow, Sewanin turned around to let Naruto trek through the forest alone. He was however sure of something.

Naruto had something deep in store.

* * *

The elf couldn't have been more wrong. The reason Naruto had told him to stay away was because he might disclose what Naruto had come so far to get. Naruto did his trek a little and saw there growing behind a tree, a tree that has fallen some time ago, was a green stalk that had a red crystal at its peak like it was flower.

"Yes! The Crystal flower ! I knew it! This place fit the discription of this flower's Natural habitat to the 'n' ! What a jackpot! With enough care and right cultivation- cultivation method that is mentioned in dad's book- I will have a shield stronger than steel in a seed form in my pockets!"

As he said that Naruto took out a pot and complete gardening kit out from a pouch (utility pouch in anime) that must have been inside his kimono.

After about 30 minutes of careful potting of the plant Naruto kept everything back in the pouch, stood up and stretched. He then started walking back towards Sewanin.

Then He suddenly fell into the ground.

* * *

Naruto didn't feel like he fell, to him he just appeared in an unfamiliar place, Naruto looked around and for miles saw nothing but rocks and trees so instead of staying in one place he started moving to discover a travelled path.

As he moved, he felt like there was someone watching him so he looked around and noticed no one around him, still feeling the same way he looked up at a nearby tree and saw a bird looking at him.  
This bird has crimson feathers on its body and a golden tail as long as a peacock's. It is roughly the size of a swan. It's claws and beak are gleaming gold - the latter is "long" - and it's eyes are black. The scarlet body feathers glowing faintly in darkness, while the golden tail feathers heated the air around it enough for it to distort the air around it.  
Now emotionally Naruto was a very sad child, determined for recognition of his existence but sad, However the excitement of seeing a Phoenix for the first time in his life could not be contained so he did the one thing, that if he had read the chapter on Phoenix in his magical beasts book,  
He would not have done.  
He ran towards it.

The phoenix reacted the way it would, it flew straight towards Naruto picked him up and then flew for a short distance and threw Naruto away and straight on something.  
All this happened within a fraction of minutes during which Naruto knew he would break at least some bones as he flew towards the ground, but when he landed on something soft instead of the ground he prayed to his guardian angel for saving him.

As he got up to check what he had fallen on he saw a thing that made his blood freeze.

Looking at him over it's shoulder was a giant golden Kitsune.  
Golden kitsune on one of whose tail he had fallen.  
The Kitsune turned around to look at what had fallen on it, that thing being Naruto. During all this both of them didn't break eye contact.

Naruto did not break eye contact because he was too scared to even twitch and Kitsune did not for some unknown reason.  
During this time the tail was removed from underneath him leaving Naruto at the location he would have fallen if the tail had not been there. He finally gathered the will to get up and speak, while still petrified.

"Hello-!"

"Hello to you too"

Naruto was expecting something along the lines of an attack that would destroy him in a instance. To be burned to death or cut to death and then eaten or even eaten alive and so much more.

However, a voice in his head was not one of the options.

"You can talk - no that's stupid you just did that - you want to talk to me?"

"I am an empath. I know you are not harbouring any negative intentions, So instead of killing you right away. I chose to talk"

"Thank you for being an empath and not killing me. I will be leaving now."

"How did you come here? And do not lie I will be able to tell."

"I went to a forest to cultivate a crystal flower and I was returning to my caretaker when I fell through the ground, then events transpired and here I am."

After a moment of silence, Kitsune replied.

"Caretaker? You don't have any family."

Now to the Kitsune Naruto at his point was a white silhouette. At the mention of 'family' the white silhouette started gaining blue colour. After some time the blue silhouette told the Kitsune everything related to his family.

"Well, Where should I start - oh, ok, I must start with my introduction. I am Naruto U. Namikaze son of empress of Uzumaki empire and a brilliant witch Kushina Uzumaki and Minato Namikaze, fastest wizard in the world and Master of Nature Magic. I have two sisters that hate me so they don't talk to me and then, Who else is there? oh yeah, there is my Ba and adoptive sister both of whom used to live with me but left, and there is also this lady, that I like a lot and I want to help her with this problem she has, so the first thing I want is to help her."

"You talk as if they are no longer here?"

"Oh No! They are alive, it's just that they no longer love with me, ya know? My Dad died before I was one, My Mum was faced with a lot of bullshit after he dies and she had to remove me from family as a result, it broke her heart but she did it and then cried inside her room for a month after that, My sisters hate me for that so they never even made contact and my grandma and sis with her left me after I was 5. The Lady that lives with me also serves the Japanese Government so she is on missions most of the time and not with me that much." Naruto said as he looked at the Kitsune. He added.

"I must have come in contact with a portkey to suddenly appear here! I just have to find it! The lady that I live with had taught me just the spell to reverse the portkey so that I can return to the place I started from!"

"Before you do that Naruto. I want to talk to you, My name is Yasaka, I can feel that you are telling the truth, so I will tell you things that will make everything clear, first you did not come here through a Portkey, you were brought here by an ancient magic, a magic in which when a new magical creature is born, any wizard worth it's companionship will be brought to the creatures birthing place in this case you are here for one of my children and do not worry - from the looks on your face it seems like you know about this."

"Yeah, a long time ago I have read about the 8 Beast holders! They are all legendary witches and Wizards! I thought they selected the beasts they wanted to have! I didn't know The Beast and The Wizard were bound just like that! I don't think I can just take a beast away from its family just like that!" Naruto exclamied.

"Do not worry, it is considered a great honour to become a part of this partnership."

Naruto was silent and while looking at the ground he thought over a lot of things and then looked back up with determination in his eyes and said.

"I am ready to have a friend."

He suddenly stepped back in shock as two white balls of flames appeared in front his face.

On impulse, Naruto reached for one of the flame balls and as he touched it.

The ball turned into a bubble which had a nine tailed orange furred Kitsune curled up inside it.  
The kitsune opened its eyes to look directly into Naruto's eyes for what felt like a year.  
"Hi Kurama!" out of nowhere Naruto had said that and knew everything he needed to know about Kurama.

"Let's do this, partner." female voice of Kurama spoke directly into his head.

Kurama burst into white flames and collided straight on Naruto's stomach and Naruto was ready for that as he knew this would happen because when they looked into each other's eye they connected, they knew everything about each other.

Kurama will grow in strength as Naruto grows in strength.

Kurama dies, Naruto dies.

When Naruto dies Kurama will have to ascend to heavens and her ascend will bring a storm. Naruto knows everything about Kurama and her abilities while Kurama knows all Naruto's secrets.  
Kurama will live as a tattoo on Naruto's body for all there living days.

After Naruto checked the Kitsune tattoo on his stomach he looked at the Golden kitsune and bowed his head in front of her.

"I will do my absolute best to live up to the expectations of your family and will work hard so that, Kurama can reach her strongest. For your daughter's sake. Yasaka-Sama bless my future."

"I'll do one better. I found Amaterasu- Chan hurt in this forest, this forest does not have any other Phoenix so she will do better with you."

As she said that the previous phoenix that threw Naruto away came back and landed on Naruto's shoulder.  
As she landed she rubbed her head on Naruto's cheek leading him to laugh and start patting her head and say,

"Yeah I forgive you - let's go ho-!"  
As Naruto was saying that he realised something.

"I don't have a way to go home! I am super lost! and above all it has been over 2 hours Sewanin must have already left-!"

"Do not worry." Yasaka said, as she did, Amaterasu flew off from his shoulder and flew farther from them.

"Think of your home and when Amaterasu comes back, grab hold of her claws. She will act as a portkey."

As Yasaka explained this, Amaterasu came back and Naruto did just as he was told.  
He grabbed her claws with both of his hands and then there was fire. All around Naruto everything was on fire, Within the fire Naruto saw a dark spot in front getting bigger and bigger and when finally he went through the dark spot and appeared in his backyard.

Amaterasu on his shoulder.

The weird feeling that was due to the drainage of his magic was nauseating.  
As Naruto's senses stabilized he looked Amaterasu in eyes and said.

"That was awesome!!"


	3. Book 1 Chapter 3: The Woman

He heard voices from inside his house. The house was a shack.

From outside the house looked average in size. Inside it had two bedrooms, two bathrooms, one kitchen, one hall and a library.  
One of the bedroom obviously belonged to Naruto, one bedroom belonged to the woman he was talking about whenever she visited, which was mostly on weekends, sometimes on weekdays and around holidays.  
Sewanin did not live in the house, he had his own home where he teleported to every night after his work was done. The house was protected by a number of protective enchantments and people from the nearest vilage did not come here.  
They called it the House on the Hill. The nearest village was called Konoha, it was a magical village but they never visited up here.

The kitchen of his house was always well equipped to feed the occupants of the house. The hall had one sofa, two armchairs, a coffee table and on the corner was his work table.

As for the voices, it was a female shouting at Sewanin. It was a very familiar voice as it was of the woman he had told Yasaka about.

He sighed and stepped into his house to see her.

She is a tall, voluptuous woman with thickly braided, bow-adorned, scarlet hair. Her two front braids have two golden ornaments near the upper sections; she also wears two U-shaped earrings, and wears red lipstick.

She was donning a risqué version of the typical witch's garb. Her black top has a diamond-shaped opening, exposing a portion of her breasts, and a heart-shaped pattern around the borders. It extends down to the navel of her stomach where it meets a large angular scar, is draped over by a dark-colored cape with a light-colored inside and two medallion gold-like ornaments, and is held together by a golden chain. Not left bare, too, her neck is decorated by other small cloth-based accessories, including a wide bow. She was also wearing a large black cape that went from her shoulders to her ankles.

Additionally, She is wearing an elongated black loincloth with the symbol of the Uzumaki Empire emblazoned on its front, having white borders on its edges and being connected to another cloth piece with the very same heart-shaped design. She also wears black thigh-high boots with heels that have a white-colored border near the top and gloves of the same color and design, only having claw-like extensions. Her black witch's hat is much larger than her head and possesses dreadlock designs with white bandaging near its ends. It also has a fur lining near its edges.

She was shouting at Sewanin about how he didn't need to leave and should have waited a bit longer or atleast kept an eye on Naruto as he went wherever he went.

"He was just following orders like he does. It is not his fault. It is mine, Irene-chan."

The mentioned Irene was Irene Belserion.

She was a cursed woman, that was the problem that Naruto wanted to help her with, a curse in which every person in her family would completely become a magical creature and would be stuck in that form forever.  
The only reason she looked human was because Naruto's Great Grandmother Mito Uzumaki, an exceptional witch of her time, was able to create a counter curse which prevented the entire Belserion family from becoming completely beast and kept them in a limbo between beast and human.

Which was a better option in the family elder's opinion so they swore allegiance to Uzumaki family.  
Later, Irene became Kushina's right hand person in the Uzumako empire business and also Kushina's best friend.

Irene cared for Kushina enough that she had accepted the mission to look after a 5 year old. Not exactly a suitable mission for a witch of her status.

As soon as he spoke Irene rushed towards him to check him over, she was about to touch him when he stepped away and said,

"I will 'show' you everything but Sewanin has to go."  
As he said that they both looked at Sewanin to see that he had a terrified look on his face almost as if he had seen death itself, so they followed his eye sight to see he was looking at Amaterasu, who had flown from Naruto's shoulder and had made her place on top of a sofa and was staring at Sewanin.  
As soon as Irene saw the Phoenix, she was shocked and she looked back at Naruto. She gave him a look that said 'explain'. He once again said.

"Only you and nobody else."

She looked at him for a moment and then nodded and said.

"Sewanin leave, go home. I will stay here tonight, tell Lady Kushina everything is alright and she can return to her work."

Sewanin didn't waste a moment clicked his fingers and vanished.

As soon as Sewanin was gone. Naruto paced towards a table in the corner which had a single drawer on it.  
The drawer was placed in such a way that it opened across the table instead of out towards where a person would normally open it from. As soon as Naruto reached the table, he pulled on the knob and instead of a drawer filled with random stuff the drawer kept on expanding till the end of the table and now there were about 10 compartments in it .  
These drawers were as long as a table but were very thin, just enough to have different labels on it.  
Naruto reached for a drawer with Herbs written on it and he pushed on it, it went vertically straight up revealing a shelf which had multiple compartments in it as well.

It was filled with some magical plants, as it was opened, he took out his pouch from his kimono and dug his entire hand inside and pulled out the Crystal flower he had picked up earlier.

He placed the plant in one of the empty compartment on his 'magical shelf'.  
After that he reached for a ring that was in front of this particular compartment, pulled on it like a curtain to reveal multiple things written on it.  
He reached for his pouch once again to take out a book. He opened it to a bookmarked page and filled up the data on the previously pulled paper.  
After checking the data once over, he tugged on the ring attached to paper and the paper folded back. The emerged compartment went back down and the drawer closed back.  
He looked back at Irene who had her hand folded below her breasts and was looking at him with a kind smile.

"I needed to get that Crystal flower situated in the correct conditions or it would wither. Could not have that. Would defeat the whole point of the day won't it? Ya know?"

Irene took her hat off and threw it on a sofa, not the one occupied by Amaterasu, as she did that her clothes changed in an instant.

Now she was wearing a black full-sleeve turtle neck with a brown ankle length frock, red scarf around her neck. She gave him a loving smile and said,

"It's alright, Now shall we unravel what happened to you today."

As she said that she held her hand out, He grabbed her hand and she lead him to the library.  
Inside the library there was a table in the centre which had two cushions on the either side of it. The room had no walls only shelves filled with books.  
Naruto sat at one of the pillows in traditional Japanese position while Irene did the same thing opposite to him. She waved her wand and the table disappeared.

Both of them kept their foreheads against each other and Naruto placed his hands on her cheeks while Irene did the same, his hands were inside while hers were outside. She whispered.

"Promiscus Animus"

This was a very special spell that Irene had created, in this spell two willing parties share memories through the senses that the sharing party allowed.  
Naruto always allowed her to access to all his senses but never his thoughts. He did not want her to know that he liked her, not until he was ready. She shared all her thoughts during all this with him and she came in peace with everything that Naruto had been through during this day.  
After this was over they both had a peaceful dinner, Naruto searched for what Phoenix eat and found out he had just the seeds they eat. So, he gave them to Amaterasu, he gave it to her and she ate them with pleasure.

As for Kurama , he found out she preferred anything meat. So they cooked her a amazing steak. Which she enjoyed and they all went to sleep.


	4. Book 1 Chapter 4: The Letter

For the next few year till the letter from Hogwarts was supposed to come they fell back into their routine because the day after he met his best friends a very angry Howler from his mother arrived.

Yes, even though he had never met his mother which he could remember, they were in every other form of contact available.  
So, after the howler ripped him a new one. He went back to studying so that he could reach a level where his father's research would start making sense faster and training his body since that was also necessary for his growth and also Kurama's.

Since, He was not allowed a wand till he reached the age of 11 but till then he practiced with a training wand.  
Right now, Naruto was in backyard helping a new companion he had meet about a month ago. It was nesting inside the trunk of a tree in Naruto's backyard.  
It was a Plumed, two-legged winged creature with a serpentine body. Naruto had identified it as a Occamys.

They believed that the Occamys might have followed Amaterasu back from one of her flights and nested inside the trunk of the tree.  
It was weeks from the time that it came in the tree that Naruto found out about it.  
He was practising a spell when his eyes caught the site of the creature, Naruto identified it immediately and knowing that he was not well equipped to handle it told Irene about it.

  
Her reaction to the presence of Occamys was priceless. She was enraged thinking Naruto had done something but then he told her that he found it this way she concluded that a foolish traveller must have stolen the egg from the nest, taken the egg away when it hatched and left the poor creature to fend for itself.

  
So, it was decided that she would take care of it, until she could arrange someone from Indian Ministry of magic to pick it up.  
Since Occamys were native to India and after Newt Scamander's book. Indian Ministry took special care towards every native creatures like most countries did now.

So, it was there problem that a Occamys was so out of it's natural habitat, then she had placed an attraction charm in the trunk's entrance so that insects will come to it and it would not look for them and cause a mayhem.

He was home alone right now, Irene had a mission that would end tomorrow and since it was a regular occurrence and he didn't need to go anywhere he could handle himself.

Suddenly, he heard the sweat voice of a owl's shrieking. He ran to the front door and saw a single letter on the floor. He read the front of the letter.

* * *

Mr. Naruto Namikaze  
House over the Hill  
Konoha village  
Hokkaido, Japan.

* * *

After this he flipped the letter to see the famous seal on red wax. He opened it and instantly moved to unfold the pages inside and read.

* * *

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE.

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Namikaze,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31. Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,  
Deputy Headmistress

* * *

This was beginning of a journey of a lifetime.


	5. Book 1 Chapter 5: Diagon Alley

Irene came home the next day to the most amazing smelling breakfast that she had ever smelled.

As soon as she entered the house she saw the reason Naruto had worked so hard on the breakfast for her.

A letter, not just any letter, letter from Hogwarts was on the living room table.

She smiled and glanced at the kitchen to see Naruto working extremely hard on the omelette.  
She was wearing her witch dress.

Additionally, she was carrying a massive light-brown staff in her right hand, matching, if not surpassing, her height and being divided into two large, inwardly curved antlers near the top; considerably below those, the weapon begins to be overlaid with brown leopard-skin spots that extends up to the antler's tips.

  
She tapped the staff on the ground and it started shrinking in her hand and at the same time her witch hat 'fell' from her head and her attire changed into a white full sleeve kurta with black leggings, while her staff changed into a wand, she placed her wand in her pocket and made her way into the kitchen to see Naruto finishing her plate of, traditional English breakfast.

  
Omelette, beans, bread and bacon the full mess. After giving the plates it's finishing touches he turned around with both plates in his hand. Looked directly into Irene's eyes with a brightest smile she had seen in a while and said,

"I know you think is to butter you up before we go to London today but hey atleast this gives me a chance to give you something for a change."

Irene giggled and sat down on the table, Naruto put the plate in front of her and sat down opposite to her.

They both ate their breakfasts while taking about things like her mission and his lessons. Ignoring the conversation about Hogwarts.

After they finished their food. Irene moved her hand above the plates and towards the sink and the plates flew away, they were washed at sink on their own and placed back in the shelf.

"That was delicious honey, but how about we discuss the reason for all this."

Naruto smiled and blushed while Irene made motion of calling towards the letter and it flew towards her hand.  
She opened it and pulled out the two pages in it. She read the first page and said.

"Well first order of business is to send a letter back, so we will use my owl to send a letter. Now for the second paper."

As she said that she opened the letter and read.

* * *

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY UNIFORM

First-year students will require:

1\. Three sets of plain work robes (black).

2\. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear.

3\. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar).

4\. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings).

Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling

A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emetic Switch

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble

OTHER EQUIPMENT

Wand cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)  
Set glass or crystal phials  
Telescope set  
Brass scales

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN  
BROOMSTICKS

* * *

After she read the page she looked at Naruto and said,

"I will have to arrange for a portkey which will take a week or so and then- why are you smiling like that?"

She was referring to the fact that Naruto was looking at her with a smug smile. She gave him a look that said 'explain' and he did.

"You see. Since I got my good gal Amaterasu here, I have been reading about Phoenixes. Do you know in addition to there ability to regenerate itself and a great life span, as well as the ability to take the full force of a Killing Curse and still be reborn. They are extremely loyal creatures, and are capable of arriving to the aid of beings who share a similar devotion. Their tears have potent healing capabilities.

For instance, phoenix tears are the only known antidote to basilisk venom. Their tears are also able to bring a person back even from the brink of death, while the Phoenixes song will increase the courage of the good and strike fear into the hearts of the evil. Phoenixes are capable of lifting a great weight with their can also leave messages by bursting into flame to reappear elsewhere, leaving behind a single golden tail feather. The phoenix can also disappear and reappear at will in bursts of flames and take whoever is holding them along, similar to Apparition but they can do this intercontinentally, so if I allow it, you can, with help from Amaterasu take us to London, Today."

Irene gave him a impressed look and then she thought over the scenario for a while.

"What about the money?" She asked.

"You can send a letter to our bank here , it will send money to Gringotts bank at Diagon Alley in London, everything will be done by the time we reach there." He replied.

"You really have everything figured out don't you." She said in a impressed tone.

"So, alright we will leave in 3 hours, be ready." She added.

After that she got up from the dining table and made her way to Naruto's work bench on which now there were two drawers instead of one like last year both placed on opposite ends of a slightly larger table compared to last year and on top of one them was Naruto's pouch. Irene opened it, drew her wand and said,

"Accio"

And out came two Parchment, a pen and two ribbons. She wrote two different letters and then place the pen back in the pouch, she rolled both parchments and tied them with ribbons and went to the backyard.

After sometime came back and said,

"We leave in 3 hours be ready. Till then I will be resting in my room."

Then she entered the room and closed the door behind her. Naruto made his way into the Library before he did he whistled and Kurama came running into the library, while Amaterasu flew in.

He will have his best friends with him while he tries his hardest to be patient for the next 3 hours.

-3 hours later-

Irene and Naruto were standing in the Backyard.

Irene still dressed in her Kurta and leggings while Naruto was dressed in a black t-shirt and blue jeans.

Amaterasu was on a tree branch ready for Apparation.

"Alright, get ready Naruto."

Naruto nodded and placed his hand on Irene's back.

As soon as he did, Amaterasu flew towards them and Irene grabbed her claw and as soon as she did they both felt the heat and like last time they both stepped through the even growing dark spot.

They appeared in a small hall, it was occupied by a single man.

The man was tall and thin, with silver hair and beard so long that they could be tucked into his belt. He had a very long and crooked nose that looked as if it had been broken at least twice. He was wearing half-moon spectacles and a silver coloured robes.  
He was reading a book when Irene and Naruto arrived in the hall. As soon as they did he stood up and made his way towards Irene and extended his hand to her and said,

"Irene Belserion, The Scarlet witch, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Pleasure is all mine professor, I get it that you got my letter. I must say I didn't expect you to come yourself to meet me." She replied while shaking his hand.

"As soon a Kushina told me you were coming, I thought I might come myself since I was free at the moment." He said and glanced towards the blonde boy that had arrived with her and added,

"You must be Naruto Namikaze-I am-" but before he could finish Naruto interrupted with comical stars in his eyes.

"Albus Dumbledore, Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards, Current headmaster of Hogwarts,  
Considered one of the greatest wizard of modern time, your defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, in what is considered to be the greatest duel in modern history and you also discovered the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and you worked on alchemy with none other than, Nicolas Flamel.

You enjoy chamber music and tenpin bowling. You are eldest of three siblings. You taught some of the greatest wizards in history including one of my ideals Newt Scamander. You are one of my heroes sir, you have no idea how much excited I was to meet you."

Irene face palmed with a smile on Naruto's antics while Dumbledore chuckled and said,

"You really are well informed and you known about both Newt and Nicolas, are you by any chance interested in Alchemy and Study of Magical Creatures?" He asked.

"Yes along with Potions and Herbology, these four make the subjects I want to major in. I also want to study under them if I can, both of them are one of bests in their field. It would be an honour and a privilege to learn from them." Naruto replied.

"Excellent choices, But they are extremely hard subjects to study if a person does not have determination to study them." He once again asked.

"Don't worry about that sir, for one I have a very strong personal reason to master these Subjects, two mastery over these subjects is very essential for me to complete the research that my father, Minato Namikaze, My biggest hero was doing before he died."

  
He replied once again but this was different then the past times he spoke, his determination in these words was enough for Dumbledore to realise that this year was going to be extra interesting with Naruto and Harry both in it.

  
With the introductiona done Dumbledore told them everything they needed to know about Diagon alley before they headed there and gave Naruto a small key for his account in Gringotts bank. He also told Irene the way to enter Diagon alley through the Leaky cauldron and then Teleported away.  
After Dumbledore teleported away.

"You really need to get a handle on your fangirling." Irene said as they walked out of the room to see they were in a telephone booth which was dark till now but it lit up as soon as the door closed behind them.

"I love magic!" Naruto exclaimed as he saw the telephone booth return to normal then he followed Irene.

He followed her through a particular street in what he assumed they passed book shops and music stores, hamburger restaurants and cinemas, finally they stopped in front of a tiny, grubby-looking pub.  
The people hurrying by didn't glance at it.

Their eyes slid from the big book shop on one side to the record shop on the other as if they couldn't see the Leaky Cauldron at all.

Irene walked in with Naruto following close behind. As soon as they entered everybody stopped to look at who it was and when they did, there jaws dropped.

It was because, Irene Belserion was also known as The Scarlet Witch.

A Witch who created a entire island in the middle of nowhere as battlefield for her fight against the White witch.  
A battle that terraformed the entire island in such a way that it has every single geological feature on it, her courtesy and more magical creature assembled in one place than anywhere else in the world, her opponent's courtesy.  
Which by the way happened 100 years ago, yes she is a world famous ageless immortal witch that is in the history books.

"It can't be -" someone stared.

"Don't sweat it people I am retired now. Just looking for a way into Diagon Alley." She said as the Bartender pointed towards the back door and the Japanese duo left.  
No idea what happened after they left as Irene waved her hand in front of the brick wall in a counterclockwise manner. As she did that Naruto said with hands behind his head.

"You are always so nice that I sometimes forget you are a very dangerous badass woman."

As the wall began to part, to open a path into Diagon Alley. She looked back over her shoulder and said,

"I am only nice to people I like. Everybody else is in free fire zone and they know it. So, they act scared."

"Rightfully So, you really are awesome." He added as they walked into Diagon Alley.

Naruto had been to many magical markets before, including the biggest magical market in the world in China. So, Diagon Alley was not a big deal.

As a matter of fact the only reason they came here was because Hogwarts essentials all at same place at right prices were only available here.  
Additionally benefiting as a trip.

"Oh you flatter me too much, Anyway first order of business, Gringotts bank."

They had reached a snowy white building that towered over the other little shops.

Standing beside its burnished bronze doors, wearing a uniform of scarlet and gold, was -

"Awesome! a Goblin," exclaimed Naruto as they walked up the white stone steps toward him.  
The goblin was about a head and half shorter than Naruto. He had a swarthy, clever face, a pointed beard and as Naruto noticed, very long fingers and feet.  
He bowed as they walked inside.

  
Now they were facing a second pair of doors, silver this time. These Gates were guarded by Wizards one of them opened the door for them as they entered a vast marble hall.  
About a hundred more goblins were sitting on high stools behind a long counter, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing coins in brass scales, examining precious stones through eyeglasses. There were too many doors to count leading off the hall, and yet more goblins were showing people in and out of these. As the duo made for the counter.

"Morning," Irene said to a free goblin.

"We've come to take some money out of Mr. Naruto Namikaze's safe."

"Does he have his key?" asked the goblin.

"Yes, Sir I do. Here it is." Naruto said as he drew the key Dumbledore had given him earlier and showed it to the Goblin. He looked it over and said,

"Everything is in order." Goblin said as he continued, "Knox, take Mr. Namikaze to his vault."

Knox held the door open for them. Naruto, who had expected more marble, was surprised.  
They were in a narrow stone passageway lit with flaming torches. It sloped steeply downward and there were little railway tracks on the floor. Knox whistled and a small cart came hurtling up the tracks toward them.

  
Naruto snickered while giving Irene a smug smile.

"Irene-chan look a vehicle."

Knox looked up at Irene to see that she was already green before even the ride began or as a matter of fact she was ready to puke just by looking at the cart.

"Oh my god! I am gonna barf!" Irene said as she clutched her stomach and mouth.

Naruto started laughing at this, after a brief laugh and looks from both Irene and Knox. Naruto stopped and said,

"You stay outside, I can do this on my own."

"Are you sure?" Irene Asked.

"One thing I cannot see is you in pain, so yeah, I'll do this myself." Naruto said, got on the cart and looked at Knox and said, "Let's roll ."

As the cart began to move and Naruto started to vanish he left with some last words with a laugh, "If only they knew-"

The rattling cart seemed to know its own way, because Knox wasn't steering.

Naruto's eyes stung as the cold air rushed past them, but he kept them wide open. He saw a burst of fire at the end of a passage and twisted around to see it was a dragon,

'A Ukrainian ironbelly' he thought as they plunged even deeper, passing an underground lake where huge stalactites and stalagmites grew from the ceiling and floor.

Finally they reached his Vault, Vault 999. He opened the vault to see it filled with Money to the brim.

"Damn! Dad was rich." He picked up some money and put them into his magical black pouch (utility pouch in the anime) placed the pouch back on his belt. They both went back on the cart and rode back to the exit.

* * *

As Naruto exited the bank, he saw Irene waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs. He reached near her and said,

"Now what?"

"Might as well get you your uniform," said Irene, nodding toward Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. They walked into the store to be greeted by what they thought might be Madam Malkin. She was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve.

"Hogwarts, dear?" she said, when Naruto nodded.

Madam Malkin stood Naruto on a stool, slipped a long robe over his head, and began to pin it to the right length. They were alone in the shop at the moment. Since, it was still early. After Naruto's clothes shopping was over, they paid for it and left,

"So, what's next?" Irene Asked.

They bought Naruto's school books in a shop called Flourish and Blotts, since all his other books were in Asian languages.

Naruto wouldn't let Irene buy him a solid gold cauldron, she insisted he should have the best but he persuaded her that he wants to stick to the list.

So, they finally got a nice set of scales for weighing, extra potion ingredients even more than mentioned in his books because he was already far above the level they were going to be taught at school so might as well take this chance to restock, a collapsible brass telescope.

Then they visited the Apothecary, which was fascinating enough to make up for its horrible smell, a mixture of bad eggs and rotted cabbages. Barrels of slimy stuff stood on the floor; jars of herbs, dried roots, and bright powders lined the walls; bundles of feathers, strings of fangs, and snarled claws hung from the ceiling. Naruto gave a very specific list to the man behind the counter.

While Irene waited outside.

"Sir, these items are you sure you want these, they are overpriced and an owl does far better and these are just one way." The man behind the counter said while he pointed to item 12 on his list.

"Yes, sir I want it, do have these right now,"

"Not right now, I have to contact a friend in Chinese bazaar for these I will definitely have them by Christmas." The man said.

"Alright so on Christmas Day, these are the delivery details can I trust you to take care of this?" Naruto said.

The man read over the detail and looked at Naruto and said,

"Everything is manageable but will cost you extra."

"It's fine, just promise me you will do it." Naruto said.

"Yes I will, I promise."

"Alright How much do I owe you for all your troubles."

"50 gallons." The man said. Naruto paid the man, shook his hand and left.

"Next and finally a wand." Irene said as she gave the list a last look over, every single item they have bought till this movement stored inside his utility pouch.

The last shop was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. A single wand lay on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window.

Before going inside the shop Irene asked Naruto.

"Are you sure you want a wand here? You can buy one back at home, they have far better core options than here, I am certain about this, take mine for example 12 inches, Calygreyhound hair, Acacia wood, neat. I don't think you will find these types of cores in here."

"I won't"  
Naruto said while he was staring at the shop's door, before Irene could ask anything else. He started.

"I already have a dragon close to my heart, no other dragon will align with me knowing they cannot replace said dragon" he said while waving his hand at her,

"I already have a strong alliance with a Phoenix -" he was saying,

"So no other Phoenix will alliance with you-" she completed,

"and I already have a mythical creature that is, my dear friend mighty Kurama's alliance, so no special core, like you." He added.

"And that leaves you with Hippogriff or-" She was saying.

"Unicorn, there is a extraordinary Unicorn's hair inside that shop that has selected a ordinary wizard like me, I can hear his neighing for me. So, can we go in now?" He completed.

"After you." Irene said as Naruto entered, she stayed outside a little longer watching Naruto enter the shop, she thought.

'My love, I have lived for 125 years. I have seen all types of wizards and witches but believe me no one in this world is like you. You are a lot of things and ordinary is not one of them, I don't care if you find a cure for my curse, you have enlightened the last 11 years of my life, you are my cure.'

She placed a hand on her heart, calmed her heartbeat and entered the shop to see, An old man was standing behind the counter his pale eyes wide as dinner plates.

"You are telling me, you can hear the cores and only Unicorn hair will choose you." The old man said in fascination.

"Yes sir, and I would tell you which but there are so many voices here, it's overwhelming." Naruto said.

"You can hear them, Do you have a wandmakers lineage? Young man." Ollivander Asked Naruto.

Naruto looked confused for a moment but Irene came to his rescue.

"Yes, from his mother's side, but only a single interaction a long time ago, it's highly interesting that this trait would manifest in him."

"Really?" Both Naruto and Ollivander said at the same time. Ollivander was smart enough not to ask further on the topic and he got over his distraction and said,

"Let's find you your Unicorn-" the wand maker went in the back and came with a wand.

"Since you already know about the core, it helps me a lot, this is the best Unicorn core and wood combination I have, English Oak Wood, Unicorn Hair Core, 10.75 inches in length and surprisingly swishy flexibility. English Oak Wood for good times and bad, this is a friend as loyal as the wizard who deserves it. Wands of English oak demand partners of strength, courage and fidelity."

  
"Less well-known is the propensity for owners of English oak wands to have powerful intuition, and, often, an affinity with the magic of the natural world, with the creatures and plants that are necessary to wizardkind for both magic and pleasure. The oak tree is called King of the Forest from the winter solstice up until the summer solstice, It is said that Merlin's wand was of English oak."

"Unicorn hair generally produces the most consistent magic, and is least subject to fluctuations and blockages. Wands with unicorn cores are generally the most difficult to turn to the Dark Arts. They are the most faithful of all wands, and usually remain strongly attached to their first owner, irrespective of whether he or she was an accomplished witch or wizard. Minor disadvantages of unicorn hair are that they do not make the most powerful wands, although the wand wood may compensate which English Oak wood does in full capacity. It's length and flexibility fits perfectly with fast Wizarding."

As soon as Naruto picked the wand, the effect was instantaneous.  
A withering flower that sat in a vase in the corner, not only did it bloom but it started dividing into more flowers.

The chair in the corner that looked like it had been in the shop since before the shop was there turned brand new.

The lantern that till now just barely illuminated the shop gave light intense enough to illuminate corners that Ollivander himself might have never seen.

Water in the flower vase cleared and increased, the air felt clearer.

Irene looked impressed while Ollivander's face looked like early Christmas.

"I have to tell you , I remember every wand I sold, every time it accepted it's wizard but for all my time I have not seen a wand accept it's wizard more perfectly. I can see it, your name among the greatest wizards in the world."

"I must tell you old man, this is a amazing feeling."1

After that Naruto paid for the wand, wished Ollivander farewell and left with Irene through the Leaky Cauldron back on the street, as they were making their way back to the telephone booth, Naruto saw a big man, a very big man enter the Leaky Cauldron followed by a small and very thin boy, it reminded him of something,

"Hey, why didn't people recognise you in Diagon Alley?" Naruto Asked.

"Praestigium charm. Where is Amaterasu?" She said.

"When did you cast it?" He asked. As entered the phone booth, Irene inserted a coin that was given to her by Dumbledore and waited.  
"When you were staring at Diagon Alley."

After a while the booth went up and they appeared in a clearing.

"As for Amaterasu." Naruto started speaking he cupped his hands together and then formed them into a fists, right fist near his mouth, left fist behind the right fist and blew hard.  
As soon as he blew fire erupted from his left fist and out of the fire Amaterasu flew out and took a around them while still flaming, she finally came and sat on Irene's shoulder when the fire had died down.

"When did you learn that?" Irene asked in fascination,

"I learnt from Kurama that ever since she bound with me, she kind of created a room inside me that she sleeps inside, and is ready to share it with me. It takes a lot of magic to keep Amaterasu inside me, but it increases my stamina, so win-win." Naruto told her as he took some deep breaths.

"You never stop to amaze me Naru." Irene said.

"All for the future, Irene-chan." Naruto said

As he said that Irene touched Amaterasu's claw on his shoulder with one hand while she held her hand out for Naruto who grabbed it and they both caught fire and Apparated back home, Naruto and Irene would return back to the telephone booth one month later.


	6. Book 1 Chapter 6: The Good Goodbye

King Cross  
London.  
Platform 9 and 10  
Third pillar

* * *

"Where the hell is the entrance to the station" Naruto exclaimed.

"The pillar in front of us." Irene said as Naruto was carrying a trunk on his trolley.

While one of Irene's Eye was serpentine as she looked at the pillar in front of them.

"So what are we supposed to do?" Naruto asked.

"Run straight into it, I reckon." Irene told him.

Naruto looked up at her and asked,

"Together?"

Irene looked down at him smiled and said.

"Together."

They both grabbed the trolley and ran straight into the pillar they emerged at the other side.  
A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people.  
A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express, Quarter to eleven O'clock.  
Naruto looked behind him and saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it.

Naruto looked at Irene and they both made their way further on the station, till Naruto found a car in which he could sit.

He placed his trunk in the storage and looked back at Irene. Her eyes were watering so were Naruto's.  
He hugged her, she could not hug him back so her hands were just extended on the sides, it might look weird to anyone watching them since the students would return home during the holidays, but that was the problem.

As soon as Naruto boarded the Train, He would not have a home to return to, the home he spent the last 11 years of his life in.

Irene will have to destroy that house. This was it for Naruto, there was no turning back.

"I am going to say somethings, I don't want you to say anything in return, just listen and don't think anything alright,"

"Thank you for taking care of me, Thank you for ever giving a damn, Thank you bandaging my wounds, Thank you for teaching me, Thank you for not making fun of my feelings in the beginning and above all Thank you for loving me back."

She tensed up inside his hug.

"Yes I knew, I am a natural Legilimens, I can read minds on physical contact. One day in the future I will come and find you anywhere in the world. I promise you that, Just do me a favour, wait for me."

As soon as he was done, he tightened his hold on her just for a second and left, she tried to reach for him but he slipped away and entered the train, leaving her hanging.

After the train left she apparated to their house and saw a letter on the coffee table with three photographers.

One of her and Naruto on his 8th birthday.

Two identical of just him, he must have taken in the month he had before, he was dressed in his hogwarts robes, Amaterasu on a bird stand behind him and Kurama on his head. She opened the letter.

* * *

Dear Irene-chan,

You arrived pretty fast to burn down our house didn't you? Just joking. I have left you three photographs, one of you and me and two of just me, the thing about the two identical ones is that they track my current life. So, whatever house I am selected in, my robes in the photo would change, if I want to add my friends in the photo they will be added in it, take one with you and leave one with my mom please. The deal was you all cannot contact me they never said anything about me informing you,and the photo of you and me, just keep it to remember the day we both finally came to the realisation that we love each other.

No matter what I will find a way to cure you, and I am thinking of a way to maintain contact with mom and you, other than photos you will find it as soon as I am able to master the spell for it.

P.S. A very special package will arrive on the burned ashes of our home on Christmas. Be ready to pick it up.

With love,

Naruto.


	7. Book 1 Chapter 7: The Adventure Begins!

After washing his face in the train's bathroom, Naruto looked for a cabin where he could sit.  
After looking for a while he finally found a cabin which was empty and he went in sat down by the window in silence, after some time a girl came to her compartment door,

She was already wearing her new Hogwarts robes.

"Excuse me, Anyone sitting there?" She asked, pointing at the seat opposite to Naruto.

"Everywhere else is full."

Naruto shook his head and the girl told someone behind her,

"Come on guys, we can sit here."

She moved aside and a white haired girl, also dressed in uniform entered and sat opposite to him.

She was followed by a chubby boy who was also dressed in his Uniform, enter and sit next to him then the first girl entered and sat next to the white haired girl, there was silence for while, until Naruto broke it,

"So, You guys in a band?"

Everybody chuckled a bit and Naruto spoke again,

"Let's do the introductions. I am Naruto Namikaze."

"Yes, I am Hermione Granger." The first girl said.

"I am Neville Longbottom." The chubby boy said.

"I am Delphini-" the white haired girl said.

Before Neville could ask for her last name and make the situation awkward, Naruto got up and said,

"Let me get into our colours, I'll be right back."

Delphini gave him a grateful look for changing the subject and after getting his clothes from his trunk he went to change.

As he was returning, now dressed in uniform as well. He was surprised to find that instead of three people that he left there were now four people in the cabin, but they were no Hermione and Neville but three new unknown boys.

One short and thin white haired boy, and other two were taller than him, one was fat and other was also on the healthy side. The white haired boy was talking to Delphini, as Naruto entered, he heard the thin white haired boy finish,

"- So, stop dishonouring the Malfoy name."

He finished to notice Naruto getting in, he gave Naruto a nasty look and stormed of with the other two boys, Naruto gave Delphini a look and sat back down on his seat.

"My Cousin Draco and his sidekicks, Crabbe and Goyle." She said.

"I didn't ask." Naruto said as he looked out the window.

"Yes, you were 'not asking ' very loudly." She said.

There was silence but suddenly Naruto could not help but start laughing, Delphini, cracked a smile but then she started laughing as well.

It was to this scene that Neville and Hermione arrived, Trevor the toad in Neville's hands.

"What happened?" Hermione asked,

"Nothing" both Delphini and Naruto said at the same time, gave each other a look and continued laughing.  
Before Hermione could ask anything further,

A voice echoed through the train:

"We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to Hogwarts separately."

The four of them got up and joined the crowd thronging the corridor.

The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform.

Suddenly, a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and Naruto heard a booming voice say,

"Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Harry?"

Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.

"C'mon, follow me - any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!"

Slipping and stumbling, the first years followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path.  
It was so dark on either side of them. Nobody spoke much.  
Neville, as who Naruto found out lost his toad again, sniffed once or twice.

"Ye' all get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."

There was a loud "Oooooh!"

The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black take. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore.  
Naruto and Hermione followed two boys that Hermione identified as Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley into their boats, Neville took boats with another boy named Shemus.

"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then - FORWARD!"

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.

"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.

"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the boats as people climbed out of them.

"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands. Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.

They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, Oak front door.

"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"

Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door.

The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face and  
Naruto knew as soon as he saw her that this was not someone to cross.

"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid. "Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."

She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole a whole house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.

They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Naruto could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right, the rest of the school must already be here, but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room. The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin."

"Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rulebreaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours. The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

She looked around at all the students, her eyes lingering over the flaws in their uniforms.

"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."

They all waited patiently, or as much as they can since some ghosts thought this was a fitting time to scare the shit out of some students, but all this was broken when,

"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony is about to start."

Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.

"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me."


	8. Book 1 Chapter 8: The Sorting Hat

The hall was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting.  
These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting.

  
Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver.

Naruto looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. He was standing behind Hermione with Delphini beside him, so he heard when Hermione whisper,

"Its bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read about it in Hogwarts, A History."

After a quick glance at the ceiling, he looked down to see Professor McGonagall place a four-legged stool in front of the first years.

On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth - and the hat began to sing:

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,

But don't judge on what you see,  
I'll eat myself if you can find  
A smarter hat than me.  
You can keep your bowlers black,  
Your top hats sleek and tall,  
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat And I can cap them all.  
There's nothing hidden in your head  
The Sorting Hat can't see,  
So try me on and I will tell you  
Where you ought to be.  
You might belong in Gryffindor,  
Where dwell the brave at heart,  
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry  
Set Gryffindors apart;  
You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
Where they are just and loyal,  
Those patient Hufflepuffs,  
are true And unafraid of toil;  
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
if you've a ready mind,  
Where those of wit and learning,  
Will always find their kind;  
Or perhaps in Slytherin  
You'll make your real friends,  
Those cunning folk use any means  
To achieve their ends.  
So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
And don't get in a flap!  
You're in safe hands (though I have none)  
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said.

"Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moment's pause -

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.

"Boot, Terry!" 

"RAVENCLAW!"

The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded with cheers;

"Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Finnigan, Seamus," a sandy-haired boy, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.

"Granger, Hermione!"

Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head. "GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat.

When Neville Longbottom, was called, he fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide with Neville.

When it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," Neville ran off still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it  
to "MacDougal, Morag."

"Malfoy, Draco."

While Malfoy swaggered forward when his name was called and got his wish at once: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"

Naruto whispered to Delphini,

"Even if we end up in different houses, we are now friends, alright?"

"Malfoy, Delphini." McGonagall said, As she started to move towards the stool, she looked back and said,

"Definitely, friend."

As soon as the Hat touched her head, it shouted, "SLYTHERIN!"

There weren't many people left now. "Moon" "RAVENCLAW!"

"Namikaze, Naruto."

As his name was called students reacted normally, teachers did not, They started whispering among themselves,

'Is he son of the Minato Namikaze.'

'He looks like him.'

By now, Naruto sat down at the stool and the hat was placed on his head,

"Difficult, very difficult, Power, Nerve, Determination, Knowledge, Love and so much more. Good for Slytherin or Hufflepuff but far better for Ravenclaw or Gryffindor.... Alright I have made the decision, your House will be GRYFFINDOR!"

Entire Gryffindor table applauded and Naruto made his way to the table, bumped fist with Weasley twins and shook hands with others after him more names were called like "Nott" "Parkinson" then a pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil" then "Perks, Sally-Anne" and then, at last - "Potter, Harry!"

Naruto sat down next to Hermione, focused on Sorting hat like everyone else did,

At first Hat said somethings and Harry squirmed in his seat. Finally it shouted.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Everybody in his house cheered and Harry came and sat next to him, He introduced himself by extending his hand for Harry to shake,

"Hi, I am Naruto Namikaze, we rode the boats together, let's win this damn house cup."

"Hey, I am Harry Potter and yes, let's win the Cup."

After their introductions, and end of the sorting ceremony after which Naruto was introduced to Ron, they had an amazing dinner. At which they had conversations about family, in which when the bottle turned Naruto, his reply was simply what he was told to speak if anyone asked,

'I don't know my mum or dad for that matter, what I mean is I don't know who my mum is, I know who my dad is, was raised by a friend of my dad and dropped at station, now I have to live on my own.'

At the end of dinner Dumbledore reminded everyone about the rules of the school and then they proceeded to their Common rooms, then they were assigned their bunks


	9. Book 1 Chapter 9: The New Days

After that, Naruto started to hang out with everyone and made quick frineds with everyone but he hung out with Her io e the most.

Naruto made a rough school map so that they could find their way around the castle, and things that annoyed Naruto the most were the stairs.

There were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts: wide, sweeping ones; narrow, rickety ones; some that led somewhere different on a Friday; some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump.  
Then there were doors that wouldn't open unless you asked politely, or tickled them in exactly the right place, and doors that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending. It was also very hard to remember where anything was, because it all seemed to move around a lot. The people in the portraits kept going to visit each other.

The ghosts didn't help, either. It was always a nasty shock when one of them gilded suddenly through a door you were trying to open. Nearly Headless Nick was always happy to point new Gryffindors in the right direction, but Peeves the Poltergeist was worth two locked doors and a trick staircase if you met him when you were late for class. He would drop wastepaper baskets on your head, pull rugs from under your feet, pelt you with bits of chalk, or sneak up behind you, invisible, grab your nose, and screech, "GOT YOUR CONK!"

They had to study the night skies through their telescopes every Wednesday at midnight and learn the names of different stars and the movements of the planets.

Three times a week they went out to the greenhouses behind the castle to study Herbology, with a dumpy little witch called Professor Sprout, whom Naruto loved because she knew her stuff that helped Naruto a lot, they learned how to take care of all the strange plants and fungi, and found out what they were used for.  
Easily the most boring class was History of Magic, which was the only one taught by a ghost. Professor Binns had been very old indeed when he had fallen asleep in front of the staff room fire and got up next morning to teach, leaving his body behind him.

Binns droned on and on while they scribbled down names and dates, and got Emetic the Evil and Uric the Oddball mixed up. Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was a tiny little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk.

Professor McGonagall was again different. Naruto had hit the mark to think she wasn't a teacher to cross. Strict and clever, she gave them a talking-to the moment they sat down in her first class.

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

Then she changed her desk into a pig and back again. They were all very impressed and couldn't wait to get started, but soon realized they weren't going to be changing the furniture into animals for a long time.

In this class, After taking a lot of complicated notes, they were each given a match and started trying to turn it into a needle. By the end of the lesson, only Hermione and Naruto had made any difference to their match;  
As a matter of fact, If Naruto wanted he could have made the match into a earthworm granted, his earthworm would turn to dust in 5 seconds due to instability, but hey, he could do it.

The class everyone except Naruto had really been looking forward to was Defense Against the Dark Arts, but Quirrell's lessons turned out to be a bit of a joke.  
His classroom smelled strongly of garlic, which everyone said was to ward off a vampire he'd met in Romania and was afraid would be coming back to get him one of these days. His turban, he told them, had been given to him by an African prince as a thank-you for getting rid of a troublesome zombie, but they weren't sure they believed this story.

For one thing, when Seamus Finnigan asked eagerly to hear how Quirrell had fought off the zombie, Quirrell went pink and started talking about the weather; for another, they had noticed that a funny smell hung around the turban, and the Weasley twins insisted that it was stuffed full of garlic as well, so that Quirrell was protected wherever he went.

On Friday morning, Naruto was reading a book on moderate-level Transfiguration with Hermione reading Basic spells for beginners next to him, while both of them ate breakfast.  
Harry and Ron were sitting in front of them looking at both of them like they had 4 heads.

While Harry and Ron stuck together and Hermione and Naruto stuck together. More often then not the four could be found together, suddenly Harry asked,

"What have we got today?"

"Double Potions with the Slytherins," said Ron. "Snape's Head of Slytherin House. They say he always favors them - where do both of them keep all that stuff." pointing to their books.

"I don't know, you should not care. Let's go boys." Naruto said as drank his juice in one go and got up from the table, other three following behind him.

Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder here than up in the main castle, and would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls.

Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the roll call, and like Flitwick, he paused at Harry's name.

"Ah, Yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new - celebrity."

Naruto whispered to Delphini, like Naruto had said both of them stuck to being friends even though they were not put in different houses and not just that, they were put in houses that were clear enemies of each other but still their friendship thrived as they could be found talking whenever they had the chance be it shared classes or during breaks. They also sat together in their shared classes.

"This is not going to end well."

"Agreed." She whispered back.

Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His eyes were black, they were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began.

He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word - like Professor McGonagall, Snape had you caught at every word - like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort.

"As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses — I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

More silence followed this little speech. He looked around to see what every student was doing.

"Potter!" said Snape as he saw Harry writing on parchment.

"What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

"Powdered root of what to an infusion of what?" Harry glanced at Ron, who looked as stumped as he was; three hands shot up in the air, Hermione, Delphini and Naruto.

"I don't know, sir." said Harry.

Snape's lips curled into a sneer.

"Tut, tut - fame clearly isn't everything."

He ignored Naruto and Hermione's hand and turned to Delphini.

"Ms. Malfoy?"

"Sir, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death."

"Excellent! 10 points to Slytherin."

"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

Once again the same three hands were in the air.

"I don't know, sir."

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?"

"Ms. Malfoy?"

"Sir, A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons."

"Indeed, Another 10 points to Slytherin."

Snape was still ignoring Naruto and Hermione.

"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

At this, Hermione stood up, her hand stretching toward the dungeon ceiling but neither Naruto nor Delphini had their hands up at that but they both knew the answer.

"I don't know," said Harry quietly. "I think Hermione does, though, why don't you try one of her?"

"Sit down," he snapped at Hermione.  
"For your information, Potter, monkshood and wolfsbane and everyone else they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"

There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment.  
Naruto however did not write anything as he already had a Journals in which he had already done a lot of research on all the parts of Potion making.  
Over the noise, Snape said, "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Potter."

Hours later the class was over, Delphini and Naruto were about to be the last ones to leave when suddenly, Snape saw the Potion which Naruto had brewed,

"Who brewed this?" He asked while looking the potion over.

Naruto was placing his books back in his black messenger slinging bag, when he looked back at Snape and replied.

"I did, sir."

"You expect me to believe, You brewed it perfectly enough for it to be stable even on heating in your first year?"

"I don't except you to believe anything, sir but if you want to know, then yes I brewed it in my first year and I can say with certainty that according to our courses, I am at Moderate potion making levels, so brewing this kind of potion is easy." He told him as he started to move out of the class but was once again stopped by Snape, but this time it was in different tone, it was not his usual cold demeanour it was a little warmer,

"Miss Malfoy go out and wait, he and I are about to have a little chat. However wait for I need to talk to you."

Delphini looked at Naruto, who nodded and Delphini left, As soon as she did Snape waved his wand and the door locked behind her.

"Do you know, What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Naruto was looking at his feet, his shoulder loosened as he tightened his grip on the strip of his sling bag, he had thought it meant something else but now it was confirmed. Finally, he looked back at Snape and asked,

"Who is Lily?"

Snape visibly lost his footing at this, he leaned on one of the tables and took a deep breath, and then quickly moved to grab Naruto's shoulders.

"You will not mention this to anyone ever! Is that understood?" Snape said with fury,

Naruto frantically nodded,

"Say it!" Snape added,

"Yes, I'll never tell anyone about this,"

Snape let go of Naruto and then turned around, opened multiple drawers behind him and took out many things and placed them on working table,

"What potion can you make from all the ingredients present on this table?"

Naruto stepped forward and gave everything on the table a look over, Lacewing flies; leeches; horn of a Bicorn; knotgrass; fluxweed and Boomslang skin.

"Polyjuice potion," Naruto finally answered,

Snape, raised his brow, and asked another question,

"How long does it take to brew polyjuice potion?"

Naruto thought for a moment,

"Depending on the time of effect, 3 hours for a minute to 8 weeks for 12 hours."

Snape could not stop himself from muttering,

"Very impressive, have you brewed it before?"

"No, sir. Never needed to." Naruto replied,

Snape then waved his wand and Delphini became visible. He told her to enter. Then he asked her, what potion can be made from the ingredients on the table and she answered correctly. He then pulled out one sand clocks and said,

"I'm giving both of you an opportunity, if you both can brew perfect Polyjuice Potion in the next hour, Then I will teach both of you things beyond what even many seventh years cannot perform. Are you up for this challenge?"

Naruto and Delphini gave each other looks of disbelief and then looked back at Snape with determination.  
Naruto, unslung his bag, took his robes of, pulled his sleeves.

Delphini only put her bag down.

Both of them said,

"Yes sir,"

The Sand started rushing, Naruto and Delphini started working.


	10. Book 1 Chapter 10: Flying Fox

After about three hours, Naruto entered the common room to find Ron and Harry waiting for him, on the sofa by the fireplace.

"Where were you?" Harry asked,

"Library with Delphini, weren't you both supposed to have tea with Hagrid, right about now?" Naruto said,

"Yeah that went well, so we returned to the common room, but that's not the problem here." Ron said,

"I didn't know there was a problem in the first place?" Naruto stated.

"Yes, did you not see this notice?" Harry said as he passed a paper to Naruto.

"How can I see a notice when you are holding it?" Naruto stated. He ignored the looks of loathing at his joke and read the poster.

Flying lessons would be starting on Thursday - and Gryffindor and Slytherin would be learning together.

"What's the problem? it's just flying lessons and I thought you were looking forward to them Harry." Naruto said as he sat down on the armchair.

"Yeah I was but Typical," said Harry darkly. "Just what I always wanted. To make a fool of myself on a broomstick in front of Malfoy."

"Oh, and here I thought it was about Flying." Naruto said sarcastically.

"You don't know that you'll make a fool of yourself," said Ron reasonably.

"Anyway, I know Malfoy's always going on about how good he is at Quidditch, but I bet that's all talk." Ron added.

Naruto got up from the armchair and said, "and even if you make a fool out of yourself, you won't be alone, I'll join you."

Both the boys were surprised by this fact,

"You have never rode a broom before?" Ron asked.

"Rode? Never seen one up close." Naruto answered.

"Really?" Harry asked.

"I get where your surprise is coming from, but the future I have planned for me did not involve riding brooms, so I never gave it a second thought, but won't hurt to fly would it, anyways we all should go to sleep now, I have a busy day tomorrow."

With that Naruto made his way to their dorm room with Harry and Ron closely behind him.

The next Naruto was up earlier than the rest of his friend, so early that even the sun wasn't up. He had done so today because he had an unofficial lesson with Snape, Yeah Delphini and Naruto won the bet.

So, while he had to get up early for his lesson anyway, he thought about bringing back his Physical training in his schedule.

Irene always said Magic was both mind and body, and he was not going to neglect his body for both his and Kurama's sake.

About Kurama and Amaterasu, they were rightfully pissed at him because he had decided to keep them both a secret from everybody else until he was sure about whom he could trust with biggest secrets of his life until then both Kurama and Amaterasu will have to do with the current living arrangement.

Naruto was dressed in workout lowers, boots and a black t-shirt over which he had his Gryffindor sweatshirt, he was running around school grounds on the outskirts of the dark forest with Kurama flying near his head, randomly firing her Kitsune fire and kyuubi discharge( as they both have dubbed it) into the sky.

Amaterasu went for a long flight which, Naruto had told her to complete within the hour of his training or he would be late for his lesson, as he stopped at the edge of black lake, to look at the school building behind which the sun was rising.

He suddenly heard,

"I find the look from the astronomy tower far better." He turned around see it was Dumbledore who had spoken these words.

"Professor, I was just — " Naruto tried to say but Dumbledore interrupted him.

"Get some Physical training done, while letting Your familiar Kitsune and Phoenix out of your Astral room. I know."

Naruto baffled by this asked,  
"How did you know?"

Dumbledore gave Naruto a sad look as he sat down at a nearby large rock and then motioned for Naruto to sit next to him, then said,

"I know everything about you my boy, about Minato, Kushina, Uzumaki family, Irene and the life thrusted on you and before you ask no, Irene did not tell me, as a matter of fact it was my first time meeting her as it was my first time meeting you, I have not meet your mother either, Heard of her, yes, met her, no. It was your grandmother that told me everything about you."

"You knew my grandmother?" Naruto asked.

"Yes, She helped us fight Grindelwald and I met her a lot of times for research purposes as well." Dumbledore.

"Wait, are you the Deathly Hallows D, in my dad's journals? Did you know him as well?" Naruto asked.

"Yes, I am and I did." Dumbledore answered.

"You can help me so much in understanding his research." Naruto said,

"That," Dumbledore said, while pointing a finger at Naruto, "is the second thing I want to talk about I heard from Irene that you might get caught doing some research that I would not like, so I want to know what it is, if you want to do any research in this school."

Naruto looked at Dumbledore and said, "I will show you, but I am getting late for something." As he noticed Amaterasu flying back towards him, Dumbledore noticed her as well and then smiled,

"Yes, Late for your lessons with Professor Snape,"

"Yes, wait how did you? Are you a Legilimens?"  
Naruto asked shock evident in his voice.

"Maybe, but leave it for now, come to my Office after classes are over, bring your research with you, and you can leave your Phoenix with me, I have firefly seeds, I bet she will love them."

"Will you do that for me? She really need the open for both our sanity."

Dumbledore gave a chuckle and Naruto told Kurama to return to him she burst into white flames and collided into Naruto's palm and became a tattoo, after Naruto told Amaterasu to go with Dumbledore they both went their separate ways.

Naruto got ready for his lesson with Snape, he met up with Delphini just outside his office there they discussed on what the duo already knew and then Snape decided to teach them from the level of third years in Potions and Defence Against the Dark Arts after there discussion the lesson ended.

Naruto and Delphini moved to The Great Hall were they discussed on the day's talks even further. When they reached the Great Hall the two seperated to head to their breakfast tables.

Suddenly the day's mail came and usually Naruto who didn't get anything was suprised by an owl flying in front of him with a small box and a letter.

"What is it?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, just something I bought from Diagon Alley. It just arrived late." Naruto said as he took both the items and put them in his bag.

Soon everyone was focused on Neville's Remembrall which led to a small commotion between Neville and Draco.

Professor McGonagall stepped in to sort it, Naruto left early so that he could drop the package by his bedside.

At three-thirty that afternoon, Naruto and the other Gryffindors hurried down the front steps onto the grounds for their first flying lesson.  
It was a clear, breezy day, and the grass rippled under their feet as they marched down the sloping lawns toward a smooth, flat lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the forbidden forest, whose trees were swaying darkly in the distance.

The Slytherins were already there, and so were twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground.

Soon, Their teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived. She had short gray hair and yellow eyes like a hawk.

"Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."

Naruto glanced down at his broom. It was old and some of the twigs stuck out at odd angles.

"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the front, "and say 'Up!"'

"UP" everyone shouted.

Naruto and Harry's broom jumped into their hands at once, but they were the only ones that did.  
Hermione's had simply rolled over on the ground, Ron's smacked him in the face and Neville's hadn't moved at all. After some time everyone's broom were in their hands.

Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows correcting their grips.

Naruto noticed that Harry and Ron were physical delighted when she told Malfoy he'd been doing it wrong for years.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said Madam Hooch.

"Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle - three- two -"

But Neville, nervous, jumpy and frightened of being left on the ground, pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's lips.

"Come back, boy!" she shouted, but Neville was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle - twelve feet - twenty feet.  
Naruto saw his scared white face look down at the ground.

As soon as Neville started flying towards castle's wall, Naruto's body moved on it's own he jumped and bent forward towards Neville as fast as he could move but he could not reach Neville before he hit the wall but he did reach fast enough to get a hold of Neville before he fell twenty feet on his head to his death.

Naruto caught his leg slowed down their descend and slowly dropped on the grass and rolled over with his broom.

"That was awesome." Naruto muttered.

"That is one way of putting it." Madam Hooch said.

"Help me get to the Hospital wing and then we will talk about this Mr. Namikaze." She added.

"Yes, Ma'am" Naruto said as he picked up Neville, supported him on one of his shoulder, while Madam Hooch supported his other shoulder.

"None of you are to move while we take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.'

"Come on, dear."

They arrived at the Hospital wing and as soon as they did Madam Pomfrey started checking up on him and then told Madam Hooch that she will take care of him from this point forward.

"Now, Let's find Professor McGonagall." She said.

"Yes, ma'am." Naruto followed her.

His heart was in his mouth because he thought that he was getting expelled even before his true learning began. They soon ran into McGonagall however she wasn't alone, She had Harry with her.

Both teachers had a eye conversation and Hooch pushed Naruto forward and said,

"Chaser."

McGonagall nodded with a smile and said, "Follow me Mr. Namikaze."

Naruto could not do anything but nod as he followed her with Harry.

Professor McGonagall stopped outside a classroom. She opened the door and poked her head inside.

"Excuse me, Professor Flitwick, could I borrow Wood for a moment?" An older boy came out of the class.

"Follow me, you three," said Professor McGonagall, and they marched on up the corridor, Wood looking curiously at Harry and Naruto.

"In here."

Professor McGonagall pointed them into a classroom that was empty except for Peeves, who was busy writing rude words on the blackboard.

"Out, Peeves!" she barked. Peeves threw the chalk into a bin, which clanged loudly, and he swooped out cursing.

Professor McGonagall slammed the door behind him and turned to face the three boys.

"Potter, Namikaze, this is Oliver Wood. Wood - I've found you a Seeker and a Chaser. "Wood's expression changed from puzzlement to delight.

"Are you serious, Professor?"

"Absolutely," said Professor McGonagall crisply. "Both boys are natural. I've never seen anything like what Potter did it. Was that your first time on a broomstick, Potter?"

Harry nodded silently.

"And Professor Hooch vouches for Namikaze."

"What? That's awesome! We will definitely win the cup this time."

Wood was now looking as though all his dreams had come true at once.

"Ever seen a game of Quidditch, Potter, Namikaze?" he asked excitedly.

"Yeah, once or twice." Naruto said,

"Never." Harry answered.

"Wood's captain of the Gryffindor team," Professor McGonagall explained.

"He's just the build for a Seeker, too," said Wood, now walking around Harry and staring at him. "Light - speedy - we'll have to get him a decent broom, Professor - a Nimbus Two Thousand or a Cleansweep Seven, I'd say."

And then he gave Naruto a look over,

"And he looks like a Chaser, too. How much can you bench?" Wood said,

"I shall speak to Professor Dumbledore and see if we can't bend the first-year rule. Heaven knows, we need a better team than last year. Flattened in that last match by Slytherin, I couldn't look Severus Snape in the face for weeks -"

"Train well, you two." Professor McGonagall,

One hour later in one of the open grounds, Harry had just finished telling Ron what had happened with him and Naruto when he'd left the grounds with Professor McGonagall.

"Seeker?" he said. Looking at Harry.

"Chaser?" He said, looking at Naruto.

"But first years never - you both must be the youngest house players in about -"

"A century," said Harry, "Wood told us."

Ron was so amazed, so impressed, he just sat and gaped at Harry and Naruto. Naruto was silent.

"We start training next week," said Harry.

"Only don't tell anyone, Wood wants to keep it a secret."

Fred and George Weasley now came into the ground, spotted Harry and Naruto and hurried over.

"Wood told us, we are really excited, well not as much as wood he was almost skipping but don't worry, you can trust us we are the beaters of the team, see you both on practice." They said together,

After they left Ron and Harry noticed that Naruto was awfully quiet, so they asked him,

"What is it Naruto?"

Naruto was broken out of his stump and answered,

"Nothing, it's just that I never thought that I would be playing Quidditch for my house team ever, but here I am, a Chaser for my house team, that to in my first year. I am nervous, very nervous."

That actually worried them,

"He's right, you know." Harry said,

Naruto looked at the time in his watch and said,

"And I am late," he picked up his bag from the ground and he turned to the duo,

"See you both at Dinner." Naruto said and left,

They both nodded as Naruto left for Headmaster's office within 15 minutes he reached a door with a gold Griffin statue in it.


	11. Book 1 Chapter 11: Man on a Mission

There he saw Professor McGonagall about to enter the door herself,

"Oh, Namikaze? Why are you here?" She asked.

"I have a meeting with Headmaster, ma'am, he asked me to come as soon as classes were over." He said.

"Oh, then I will wait till your meeting is over." She said.

"No, my meeting will take time, so you can go on ahead ma'am, I'll wait here." He said and sat down on the ground, pulled a book out of his bag and started reading.

"Alright, I'll finish as soon as possible." She walked in the door and said,  
"Sherbert Lemon."

Naruto was reading his Journal on Magical creatures, when he flipped on a page where one of his most prized possession was.

It was the single existing copy of his complete family photo. He was just 2 months old during it.

In it he was in his Mother's arm, his father had his 3 year old middle sister in his arms, while his 7 year old elder sister was holding two peace signs.

3 months after this photo was taken Minato left and was killed in Action.

6 months after this photo was the last time Kushina held him in his arms.

8 months after this Naruto was a brother hated by both his sister.

10 months after this photo Naruto was an official Orphan.

But still, he loved each and everyone in this photo, and one day hoped to get a photo in which everyone was an adult.

A photo in which maybe he was hugging his mother, his middle sister was pulling his ear or something, maybe his elder sister had a arm around his shoulder or just standing there smiling with love in their eyes.

All he ever wanted was love, he placed the picture back in his journal and got up from the ground when he heard the statue coming back down, McGonagall stepped off and looked at Naruto.

Happiness was evident in her eyes.

"He is waiting for you." She told him.

Naruto nodded and stepped near the statue, she said the password and he reached the entrance to headmaster's office. He knocked the door and opened the door on hearing 'Enter'.

He entered to see Faux and Amaterasu sitting next to each other on a same stand and eating seeds from the same bowl.

Dumbledore was standing in front of his table, clearly waiting for him.

"Are you ready to show me what your research is about." Dumbledore asked.

Naruto nodded and pulled out a box that was about 1ft long, 1 ft broad and about half a ft thick, he placed the box on the ground in the empty area of his office, took out his wand and said,

"Hiraku"

The box split open into a semi-circle, then it started to grow in size and grew legs.

Now, it was big black semicircular table. He looked back at Dumbledore.

"Sir, you cannot tell anyone about this, please it cannot get out because half the stuff here is not allowed for my eyes." Naruto requested.

"Yes, I will not tell anyone about this." He said.

Naruto waved his wand once again, while saying.

"Videor."

The table tops flipped opened, to revel a arc board with 8 compartment. Seven of the right compartments had curtain with labels like books, potions, ingredients, plants instruments, extra material, and others in 7 curtains.

While a notice board on the eighth compartment, this notice board had multiple papers and pictures pinned to it with a red ribbon connecting them, but all of them were connecting to one giant note that explained everything to Dumbledore.

It shocked him enough for him to stop leaning on the table and walk towards it. There written on the board in bold was,

"Blood curses?"

"You are studying the blood curses? For what purposes?" He had a edge in his voice.

"To eradicate them." There it was.

Dumbledore was shocked, never in this world anyone studied curses for the purposes of eradication.

"What is your approach?" Dumbledore asked.

"The steps in solving a problem, first, understanding a problem, second, finding all possible ways to end the problem and last narrowing the approach to find the exact counter to end it." Naruto said.

"And at what step are you?" Dumbledore asked.

"Even though Magical studying is allowed at age 7 in Japan, researching things like blood curses, communicable curses or whatever curses there are in this world is very difficult to research, so step 1 is not even complete but for step 2, I have speculations on the subjects that might help. So, I think I have a base but I am only at step 1"  
Naruto told Dumbledore.

"This is far beyond the levels of a 11 year old wizard, I believe to even start this research you would need at least advance level dark arts knowledge, above moderate potion, herbology, magical creatures and large amount of knowledge in alchemy and transfiguration."

He stopped and smiled,

"All the subjects you want to major in."

"Yes, this is what I was born to do, I will spend every moment of my life that I can spend on finding cures for werewolves, maledictuses or any other curse, I will cure them or die trying." Naruto said,

"Who is it?" Dumbledore asked.

"I beg your pardon?" Naruto Asked.

"No one does something like this, unless someone they love someone affected." Dumbledore said with a raised brow.

"This was not our deal." Naruto said, visibly blushing.

"Yes, it wasn't, come and see me tomorrow at the same time, alright, we will discuss this further, we will miss dinner if we spend more time here, let's go."


	12. Book 1 Chapter 12: Nimbus 2000

Naruto arrived at dinner hall and sat down next to Hermione. She was talking to Ron and Harry about something.

"And it's really none of your business," said Harry.

"Good-bye," said Ron.

Naruto raised a brow and said,

"What's happening?"

"Nothing." Both Harry and Ron said,

"They are about to do something very stupid." Hermione said.

"Awesome and all the best." Naruto said as he started stuffing his face.

Hermione looked at him in bewilderment, while Harry and Ron laughed.

"I really like him," Ron said at Naruto and followed his lead into stuffing their faces.

The next day after his physical training and extra lesson with Snape, Naruto hung out with Delphini a little and went to the dining hall to sit with other.

They told him what happened the night before, everything about how they were fooled by Malfoy into thinking they were going to duel.

"That was not stupid, that was moronic and kind of gullible." Naruto said after they finished their story.

While he gave Harry and Ron a raised brow, they had not told him any information about a particular dog out.

He then looked at Hermione,  
"You followed these idiots, while breaking a rule to prevent them from breaking a rule, now you are a genius but that was really- I mean really, dumb."

Then he pointed at Neville,  
"And you, one word, it's one word man write it in your hand or something if you know you are going to be alone."

"Sorry." Neville started saying,

"Don't be sorry, it's totally fine to not know a stupid password, it's weeping about it that need working." Naruto said,

Before anyone could react to him, the day's mail came, two packages were dropped in between the group, both same size and both attached with same letters,

DO NOT OPEN THE PARCEL AT THE TABLE.

It contains your new Nimbus Two Thousand, but I don't want everybody knowing you've got a broomstick or they'll all want one. Oliver Wood will meet you tonight on the Quidditch field at seven o'clock for your first training session.

Professor McGonagall,

Harry passed his letter to Ron, while Naruto took his package and got up from the  
table and said,

"No good in keeping it around here, see you at practice." He said looking at Harry, who nodded.

Naruto left the hall and as soon as he was out of eye sight, he placed the entire package in his sling bag. He had recently learned and put a undetectable extension charm on his bag.

He headed to the headmasters office and told him that he might not be able to meet him, because of practice, Dumbledore understood and told him that he will tell Naruto when to come.

He reached 10 minutes before 7 and just lingered around waiting, soon it was 7 and he saw Harry coming towards him.

Harry didn't seem to notice him started flying around on his Nimbus, Naruto not wanting to be out done by him and took his Nimbus out and started flying as well.

He soon started tailing Harry, who by now had noticed him and soon Naruto overtook Harry and started flying around him.

"Hey both of you, come here." Wood had arrived.

Harry landed next to Wood, while Naruto floated in front of him,

"I am going to explain the rule, Namikaze you can keep flying if you know the rules."

Naruto nodded and flew away.

While he did, he saw Wood explain Harry rules, launch all the balls up in the air and then help Harry practice with Golf balls, then he flew towards Naruto with the Quaffle in his hand.

He passed it to Naruto, who easily caught it and then looked at Wood,

"You are a Keeper?" Naruto asked.

"Yes, I am, so try to score." Wood said with a smug smirk.

"Alright." Naruto answered with a equally smug smirk on his face, he took a turn and went a little farther away from the goals.

He looked Wood directly in the eyes and then shot like a bullet, he was heading towards the lowest ring, which Wood dove towards to protect, but Naruto gathered all his strength, made a sharp up and threw the Quaffle straight at the tallest ring, scoring. Getting a impressed look from Wood,

"That was very good." Wood said,

"Again?" Naruto Asked

"Score once more and we'll see." Wood said,

"Ok" Naruto answered.

Naruto went down to get the Quaffle he came back, this time once again Wood was near the rings.

He saw Naruto and started at him like a hawk, Naruto this time went for a different approach.

He flew straight towards Wood, who was in front of the tallest ring, He was flew closer and closer, both of them not backing down, then as soon as he was very near Wood, he threw the Quaffle above Woods head, Wood looked back to see that the Quaffle hit rings end and come bounced back, then he noticed Naruto, who had swerved from below Wood catch the ball and score, once again.

"That was amazing, you might just become the best Chaser I have ever seen. For now let's head back to the castle, it's getting late."

After this all three of them headed back to the Castle.


	13. Book 1 Chapter 13: The Briefcase

Between school work, Quidditch practice and research Naruto didn't get much free time, but soon Dumbledore caught him in one of his free time, so here Naruto was, same table, same two people continuing their last conversation.

"So, last time we were here, we discussed the subjects, tell me how you will use the knowledge?" Dumbledore.

"At first I will take a particular curse, say Werewolves, I will research what werewolves are, then I will study how they infect the un-infected, try isolate agents of transfer, if there are any, create something I call a magical print of a person and then attack the Magical print with every possible solution, like creating a potion that attacks the curse agents, herbs that might work, magical substances obtained from all the magical creatures might also work,or if I am able to get advance enough in alchemy, I might be able to break everything to the basics and put it back together but for that I will have to learn 100 years worth alchemy in my small life time." Naruto said.

Dumbledore stared at Naruto for a while, then he nodded to himself and said,

"Pack you stuff." Naruto raised a brow and did as he was told,

Dumbledore, then went to his table and picked up a black briefcases, he them placed the briefcase on the ground and then, went inside.

Naruto stood there dumbfounded, Dumbledore's hand came out the briefcase to tell him to come in.  
So, he did, he went inside to see a whole damn room inside, it was already equipped with some books, a new table and a stand,

"I took the liberty of creating this, now your extension charm is as big as a trunk, but I think a room will work far better, you can set everything up in here, I also have books in here, including a one using which you can keep adding climates, labs or whatever you want to add yourself, you can use this room as much as you want. I will try my best to help you." Dumbledore said while pointing around the room, them he looked back at Naruto to see his bewildered look,

"Why?" Naruto asked.

Dumbledore gave a chuckle and then with a gleam in his eyes said,

"Because you have the fire, you have the will to do, I have only seen this type of Will in very few people throughout my life, and all of them became great, Your goal will require a support system, and I will be damned if your fire goes to waste because of some foolish blood feud."

Naruto was stunned, than he couldn't help himself and started crying and muttering, 'thank you' over and over again while Dumbledore petted his shoulder.

After the event, Naruto spent all his free time setting up his new workshop, he now had a skyline type room for Amaterasu and a forest type room for Kurama inside the Briefcase.


	14. Book 1 Chapter 14: Troll in the Bathroom

Some days later it was Halloween.

On Halloween morning they woke to the delicious smell of baking pumpkin wafting through the corridors.

Even better, Professor Flitwick announced in Charms that he thought they were ready to start making objects fly, they were set in pairs, everybody by now knew Naruto and Delphini were only two Gryffindor and Slytherin, That didn't hate each other so they were always paired together.

So, they were paired here as well.

"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!" squeaked Professor Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books as usual.

"Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic words properly is very important, too - never forget Wizard Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest."

Delphini was also just looking at the feather in front of them,

"You don't want to try?" She asked him,

"No but why don't you give it shot." He said,

"Alright." She did the flick while saying,

"Wingardium Leviosa!" And the feather started floating as she moved her wand.

"Great work!, look at Miss Malfoy, she is doing it," he noticed another feather in air, "look at Miss Granger, she is also doing it," he said, and added,

"Wonderful both of you."

After class Ron was pissed.  
"It's no wonder no one can stand her," he said to Harry as they pushed their way into the crowded corridor,

"she's a nightmare, honestly. "

Someone knocked into Harry as they hurried past him. It was Hermione. Harry caught a glimpse of her face - and was startled to see that she was in tears.

"I think she heard you."

"So?" said Ron, but he looked a bit uncomfortable.

"She must've noticed she's got almost no friends."

Then suddenly Ron felt someone shove him to the side harshly, it was Naruto and he looked really pissed,

"Almost, I'll deal with you later." He said as he made a run for Hermione, who was disappearing fast among the crowd, he followed her into the girl's bathroom.  
He saw her enter a stall and close the door hardly behind her. He knocked on the door and said,

"Don't pay attention to what Ron said, he's just jealous that you're better than him in class." He heard a surprised yelp,

"What are you doing in girl's bathroom-No, I don't care, just leave me alone." She said between sobs.

"I am not going to leave you alone, you have a friend in me, a friend, not just a nerdy friend that loves books as much as you do but also a friend on whose shoulder you can lean on. Come out Hermione, please." He said while knocked once again.

"I don't care, just leave me alone." Hermione said, Naruto was about to say something once again but a hand on his shoulder got his attention.

He turned around to see a bunch of senior girls standing there, one of them had come near him to tell him.

"Just give her time, she'll come around."

"Yeah, I'll see you later Hermione." He said at the door and then turned to the girls, "sorry about entering the girl's bathroom."

The same senior smiled at him and said,

"It's fine."

Then He left and headed to the next class where he sat alone and then finally at Dinner they heard that Hermione was still crying.

So, Ron stayed clear of him, his threat still clear. They were eating their feast when Professor Quirrell came sprinting into the hall, his turban askew and terror on his face. Everyone stared as he reached Professor Dumbledore's chair, slumped against the table, and gasped.

"Troll - in the dungeons - thought you ought to know."

He then sank to the floor in a dead faint.

There was an uproar.

"Silence!" Dumbledore shouted, ordered was restored,

"Prefects," he rumbled, "lead your Houses back to the dormitories immediately!"

Percy got in his element.

"Follow me! Stick together, first years! No need to fear the troll if you follow my orders! Stay close behind me, now. Make way, first years coming through! Excuse me, I'm a prefect!"

Harry and Ron were discussing things about the troll, when Naruto grabbed their robes from behind.

"You both are going to Help me find Hermione. Let's go."  
Both of them couldn't do anything but follow his lead. They reached the hallways and Naruto told them,

"You both take a look at the Girl's bathroom while I will check near the hall that connects the dungeons and our path to common room, I will come back and meet you at girl's bathroom, Alright?"

They Both nodded and did as told, 5 minutes later Naruto was running back toward the girl's bathroom when he heard crashing noises.

He entered to see the troll's club floating above its head by Ron, Harry held upside down by the troll and Hermione hiding under a sink.

Suddenly Ron let go and the Club hit the troll's head, it shook him enough to let Harry go but soon the troll gained back it's footing. In unmatched speed Naruto took out his wand and shouted as he pointed his wand at the Troll.

"Ballistica!"

A blue beam shot from Naruto's wand and hit the troll in his chest, as soon as it did, there was a blast of blue flame and smoke that covered the troll and also launched it back with enough power to impact with the wall and fall down,completely knocked out.

The other three looked at him with bewilderment,

It was Hermione who spoke first.

"Is it - dead?"

"I don't think so," said Harry,

"Nah, just knocked out." Naruto said while placing his wand back in his robes.

Harry bent down and pulled his wand out of the troll's nose. It was covered in what looked like lumpy gray glue.

"Urgh - troll boogers."

He wiped it on the troll's trousers.

A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made the three of them look up.  
They hadn't realized what a racket they had been making, but of course, someone downstairs must have heard the crashes and the troll's roars.

A moment later, Professor McGonagall had come bursting into the room closely followed by Snape with Quirrell bringing up the rear.  
Quirrell took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and sat quickly down on a toilet, clutching his heart.

Snape bent over the troll. Professor McGonagall was looking at Ron, Naruto and Harry. They had never seen her look so angry. Her lips were white.

"What on earth were you thinking of?" said Professor McGonagall, with cold fury in her voice.  
Harry looked at Ron, who was still standing with his wand in the air. Still shocked from Naruto's spell,

"You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in your dormitory?"

Snape gave Harry and Ron a piercing look, and then looked at Naruto, who was also looking at him, his eyes clearly asking the same question from Naruto.

Then a small voice came out of the shadows.

"Please, Professor McGonagall - they were looking for me."

"Miss Granger!"

Hermione had managed to get to her feet at last.

"I went looking for the troll because I - I thought I could deal with it on my own - you know, because I've read all about them."

Ron dropped his wand. Hermione Granger, telling a downright lie to a teacher?

"If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now. Harry stuck his wand up its nose and Ron -" Hermione was saying when Naruto added,

"Knocked it out with its own club. We didn't have time to come and fetch anyone." Naruto added.

"It was about to finish me off when they arrived." Hermione completed

Harry and Ron tried to look as though this story wasn't new to them.

"Well - in that case..." said Professor McGonagall, staring at the four of them,

"Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of tackling a mountain troll on your own?"

Hermione hung her head. The three boys were speechless. Hermione was the last person to do anything against the rules and here she was, pretending she had, to get them out of trouble.

It was as if Snape had started handing out sweets.

"Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this," said Professor McGonagall.

"I'm very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing the feast in their houses."

Hermione left.

"Well, I still say you were lucky, but not many first years could have taken on a full-grown mountain troll. You each win Gryffindor five points. Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this. You may go."

They hurried out of the chamber and didn't speak at all until they had climbed two floors up.  
It was a relief to be away from the smell of the troll, quite apart from anything else.

"We should have gotten more than fifteen points," Ron grumbled.

"Ten, you mean, once she's taken off Hermione's."

"Good of her to get us out of trouble like that," Ron admitted. "Mind you, we did save her."

"She might not have needed saving if we hadn't locked the thing in with her," Harry reminded him.

This was when Naruto finally spoke, "You morons did what?"

"Nothing!" Both of them said at the same time, only just now witnessed Naruto's true power.

They had reached the portrait of the Fat Lady. "Pig snout," they said and entered.

The common room was packed and noisy. Everyone was eating the food that had been sent up.

Hermione, however, stood alone by the door, waiting for them. There was a very embarrassed pause. Then, none of them looking at each other, they all said "Thanks," and hurried off to get plates.

Naruto had just finished eating, he was the last one to do so, after he had gotten the complete story from Harry and Ron, he also told them not to mention to anyone about his spell.

After Ron frantically agreed clearly afraid he explained that the threat was just a spur of moment kind of thing and that he never would hurt his friend, so they finally calmed their nerves and they all had a laugh after which Naruto got his food.

As he was about to leave the common room, suddenly a smaller figure collided into his chest,

"I am so sorry, I was mean to you even though you were so worried about me."

Naruto gave a hearty laugh and said,

"No problem and we are not just friends girl, we are on the road to be best friends."

Hermione laughed and then nodded as she said her farewells for the night and went to her dormitory.


	15. Book 1 Chapter 15: Quidditch

As they entered November, the weather turned very cold. The mountains around the school became icy gray and the lake like chilled steel. Every morning the ground was covered in frost.

Hagrid could be seen from the upstairs windows defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch field, bundled up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves, and enormous beaver skin boots.

The Quidditch season had begun. On Saturday, Gryffindor versus Slytherin. If Gryffindor won, they would move up into second place in the house championship.

The Great Hall was full of the delicious smell of fried sausages and the cheerful chatter of everyone looking forward to a good Quidditch match.

"You've got to eat some breakfast." Ron.

"I don't want anything." Harry.

"Just a bit of toast," wheedled Hermione.

"I'm not hungry." Harry.

"Look at Naruto feeding his face like it's his last meal on earth." Ron.

"Ron!" Hermione.

"It's alright, I stress eat." Naruto.

"Harry, you need your strength," said Seamus Finnigan. "Seekers are always the ones who get clobbered by the other team."

"Thanks, Seamus," said Harry, watching Seamus pile ketchup on his sausages.

By eleven o'clock the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. Many students had binoculars. The seats might be raised high in the air, but it was still difficult to see what was going on sometimes.

The team were changing into their scarlet Quidditch robes,

Wood cleared his throat for silence.

"Okay, men," he said.

"And women," said Chaser Angelina Johnson.

"And women," Wood agreed. "This is it."

"The big one," said Fred Weasley.

"The one we've all been waiting for," said George.

"We know Oliver's speech by heart," Fred told Harry, "we were on the team last year."

"Shut up, you two," said Wood. "This is the best team Gryffindor's had in years. We're going to win. I know it."

He glared at them all as if to say, "Or else."

"Right. It's time. Good luck, all of you."

"Let's give' em hell, Namikaze." Angelina told Naruto, over the period of their training Naruto had made good friends with them and according to Wood, the formations between the Chasers were the best ever.

They all made their way to the field,

Madam Hooch was refereeing. She stood in the middle of the field waiting for the two teams, her broom in her hand.

"Now, I want a nice fair game, all of you," she said, "Mount your brooms, please."

Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle. Fifteen brooms rose up, high, high into the air. They were off.

The Quaffle was launched in the air, and Angelina was able to get the Quaffle, as soon as she did, Naruto took the left flank and the other Chaser followed behind her, the other team tried to stop her but couldn't as she dodged the keeper went around the ring and threw the ball back at the Chaser following her and that chaser scored.

"GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"

Gryffindor cheers filled the cold air, with howls and moans from the Slytherins.

Now the Quaffle was in Slytherin's possession, S1 passed it to S2 and S2 threw the ball at S3 but before it could reach S3 a figure maneuvered between S2 and S3 getting the Quaffle, it was Naruto.

Now the Quaffle in his possession he dove towards the shortest ring, the Other chasers flanking near him, Slytherin's keeper tried to defend the ring from Naruto but she fell for the same trick Wood did, Naruto threw the Quaffle towards Angelina who was flying towards the tallest ring, she caught the ball and scored.

"Another score for Gryffindor."

After that Naruto and the other Chasers used all types of moves to score, and score they did, Naruto scored twice, Angelina and the other Chaser both scored once more, while providing each other with impeccable assists. Fruits of their training paying off.

Gryffindor celebrated, and just for the kicks of it, Naruto flew near where is friends were, they erupted in his cheer.

Slytherin made another pass at Gryffindor's goal but Wood was able to defend it, now the ball was once again in Naruto's possession, he was just about to pick up speed, that he noticed something from the edge of his vision, but it was too late, he was hit on his side by a bludger knocking him out, last thing he did before he was hit was say,

"Oh shit." And then there was darkness.

"How do you think he will react to the fact that we won." Was the next thing he heard as he returned to consciousness.

"Yeah, because Harry swallowed the snitch."

"We won and that's all that matters."

"This is not the way to greet a dead man walking up." Naruto said as he woke up,

"You were awesome mate! Your foul distracted everyone just enough for Harry to get back on his broom and get the snitch." Ron said,

"Yeah, his wonderful performance as a Chaser had nothing to do with us winning." Fred said,

"Yes, He was just a pig for slaughter so that Harry could swallow the snitch." George said.

"Really Ron, you have to appreciate all the players on the team, not just your best friend." Fred said once again,

"It's alright," Naruto said as he got up, "I am only hurt a little." He added,

"Sorry." Ron said,

Hermione then told Naruto everything that happened, and how he was knocked out for the last 4 hours.


	16. Book 1 Chapter 16: The Box full of Love

Soon it was Christmas, Naruto still continued his regular schedule of Physical training, lessons with Snape, Day's classes, Quidditch practise if there is any and then slipping away inside his Briefcase to do more research.

While unknown to Naruto, Harry and Ron were taking a break from researching Nicholas Flamel, Naruto also took a break, if everything had went as planned his most important gift should be arriving at the ruins of his home soon.

* * *

Japan

Three black figures could be seen walking towards ashes of what was once a house. They were not clearly visible from because of the Blizzard but their voices could be heard,

"Irene-sama is it really necessary for us to walk to the ruins? I mean we could have just apparated here." Came a bubbly voice.

"As much as hate to agree with Juliet here, I also have the same question but please forgive me for questioning you decisions my lady." This time it was a stoic voice.

"Don't worry Heine, it is simple the reason we are walking is because I was too excited to wait so we started coming here before the given time, so we are walking to manage the time." This was the familiar voice of Irene Belserion.

Soon the figure were distinguishable,first was Irene in her Witch garb.

Second was was a youthful woman with a slim figure and sharp eyes.  
She has black hair that hangs over her face and leans partially to the left side of her face while having two separate strands on both sides of her face.

She dons a navy blue bandanna with lined design and a golden crescent moon-shaped hair ornament on the back of her head. She also wears a navy blue zebra-patterned cloak with a crescent moon design on the back.

It exposes the black skin-tight full body suit she wears, noted to have net-shaped designs on the sides and on the forearms. There are various line borders that separate the two, coming in straight and curved patterns.

This was the owner of the stoic voice, her name was Heine Lunasea. One of Irene's students.

Other figure is also a youthful woman, with a childlike figure, unlike Heine.  
She has orange hair in short pigtails that are held up with brown bows, with straight-cut bangs hanging slightly over her face.

She wears a white coat with golden border straps surrounding the cuffs on the coat, waist area, biceps area to go along with two gold lines streaking down the chest area, ending in a skirt with golden frills at the end.

She wears white fur-lined snow boots with golden straps to go along with matching white pants. She is was also one of Irene's students, Her name is Juliet Sun. She had come all the way from America to learn magic from Irene.

The three women arrived at the ruins but they were not the only ones, standing near the ashes of once their homes backyard tree was a house elf, he was wearing postman clothes and he was holding a brown square package in his hands, it seemed like he was waiting for them, as soon as he saw them arrive he said,

"Wonderful, you arrived just in time, so which one of you is Irene Belserion?" The house elf asked.

"How dare you-" Heine was about to draw her wand when Irene raised her hand,

"I am." She told him, the house elf unaffected by Heine's outburst gave the package to Irene.  
He also took out a piece of parchment and held it open in front of Irene.

"Magical seal." He said.

Irene waved her hand and a scarlet dragon formed on the parchments bottom. Nodding to the seal, he clicked his fingers and disappeared.

"What is it Irene-sama?" Juliet asked, Heine looked like she also wanted the answer but acted like she didn't care.

"I don't know what it is, but I do know that it's very precious." Irene said with a smile, she put her staff between the two girls, they held the staff and they all apparated away.

Irene excused herself as soon as they appeared back at there compound and went to her room, she opened the package to reveal the exact same box as the one Naruto had received a while ago, and a letter inside the box.

* * *

Dear Ir-chan,

Finally Christmas has arrived, and I am extremely happy that you have received my package, this is a communication box, it was deemed useless a long time ago because transfer of letter or whatever material can be fit inside it can only be established between two sister boxes so, if one did not a sister box they could not talk, but if one did they could contact instantly between each, I have the sister box, this is a present for both of us, we can now talk, without anybody ever finding out about this.

Hope to hear from you soon,  
Merry Christmas  
With love,  
Naruto.

* * *

Irene smiled and giggled as she hugged the letter close to her heart.

She looked at a desk near her bed, and smiled at the photographs that Naruto left her.  
She stared at the one that showed Naruto's progress, the photo had changed a lot over the last few months.

Now, Naruto was wearing Gryffindor Quidditch uniform with number nine with his broom in his right hand, his briefcase by his left and a quaffle by his right leg, signifying his position as a Chaser, he was wearing the most smug and in her opinion most handsome smile she had ever seen.

She was very happy for Naruto, he was finally happy now and she was happy for him. She just wondered if he would be able to fulfill his dream, something suddenly caught her eye, a similar brown box appeared next to the him, she smiled and she instantly went to the desk, took out a piece of paper and wrote,

* * *

Dear Naru,

This is the most wonderful thing you could have done, and instead of going too emotional at the start of our correspondence, I am just going to tell you, give every single detail of what had happened so far in your year at Hogwarts, I still cannot believe just how you found something this amazing, and believe me I am going to get you something that trumps this,

Love,  
Ir-chan

* * *

Naruto was reading a book inside his briefcase and making notes when the chest on his desk vibrated, he couldn't have moved faster, he opened the chest to see Irene's letter, he laughed at it's content and then wrote on a tiny piece of paper and kept it inside the chest.

At Irene's end the chest vibrated, she opened it to see its content and she laughed,

* * *

Dear Ir-chan

I really wanted to get the chest to arrive faster but couldn't, and a lot had happened since I started school so it would take a while to tell you everything. Also this breaks my heart but we have to figure out a schedule for our communication.

P.S. Getting back at me? You wish.  
With Love,  
Naruto.

* * *

After this both of them had a long conversation, in which they made a schedule that they would always talk on every Saturday between 8 pm to 10 pm, unless she is on a mission or he is busy with something else.

He then told her everything, from his decision to return to physical training which she was extremely glad about, then about his extra secret lessons with Snape while he also explained to her how he made polyjuice potion successfully on his first try and changed in Snape, which according to him was weird.

He also told her he was selected into the Quidditch team.

Irene also shared about how she spent her time during these last months, how she completed a bunch of missions for the ministry and about the two girls who tracked her down to learn from her, she dueled with both of them two on one and they lasted a complete 45 seconds, so she took them in.  
She described the girl's to the 'd', to him.

He also told her about his friends and how he was invited to a Naruto, Fred and George v/s Harry, Ron and Percy snowball fight that was happening the next day.  
They talked for so long that he got very late for dinner, they said their goodbyes till Saturday.


	17. Book 1 Chapter 17: The Dragon, The Alchemist and The Dog

His holiday routine was extra physical training during the morning because Snape was gone for the Holidays.

Then he would spend most of the day in the library, he thought he would be alone because both Delphini and Hermione were gone for the holidays but he was surprised to find Harry and Ron in the Library every once in a while.

They never told him about what they were researching but since he was doing the same thing he didn't push them, He also made a list of things that he might need for further research.

He was so busy during the Holidays that he didn't even notice that the term was about to begin in two days, that was day when Hermione arrived.

She joined him in the library that day.  
She ran around the library looking for something getting more frustrated by the minute, it was finally after maybe the 100th book that she threw on the table that Naruto asked,

"Maybe I can help you with whatever is bugging you and indirectly me." Naruto said.

"Argh! I know I have read his name before somewhere, it's just that I cannot remember where!?" Hermione hissed in frustration.

"Who are you talking about?" Naruto asked, trying to keep her calm.

"Nicolas flamel, I know I have read of him." Hermione said,

"Nicolas flamel? He's one of world's best alchemist, also the only living person who knows how to make the Sorcerer's stone in the world. Why are you researching him? You interested in Alchemy?" Naruto said.

"Sorcerer's stone? How big do you think it is?" Hermione asked.

"Well it depends upon how long it has been used," Naruto answered.

"Of course, follow me Naruto." She said, as she paced to the other side of the library.

Naruto quietly following closely behind, on their way She picked up a book and found Harry and Ron talking to each other on a table.

"Nicolas Flamel," she whispered dramatically, "is the only known maker of the Sorcerer's Stone!"

This didn't have quite the effect she'd expected.

"The what?" said Harry and Ron.

"Oh, honestly, don't you two read? Look - read that, there."

She pushed the book toward them, and Harry and Ron read:

The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Sorcerer's Stone, a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal.

There have been many reports of the Sorcerer's Stone over the centuries, but the only Stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicolas Flamel, the noted alchemist and opera lover. Mr. Flamel, who celebrated his six hundred and sixty-fifth birthday last year, enjoys a quiet life in Devon with his wife, Perenelle (six hundred and fifty-eight).

"See?" said Hermione, when Harry and Ron had finished.

"The dog must be guarding Flamel's Sorcerer's Stone! I bet he asked Dumbledore to keep it safe for him, because they're friends and he knew someone was after it, that's why he wanted the Stone moved out of Gringotts!"

"The who and the what now?" Naruto asked,

"Do we really need to tell him this?" Ron asked,

"He's the one that told me about Nicolas flamel! And he can be of great help to us!" Hermione said,

"Alright, Tell me everything." Naruto asked,

So the three did, all the way back from when they met the three-headed dog, to getting Hagrid to blabber Flamel's name and spending the rest of their time trying to find him.

"Ok, You are telling me there is a Cerberus in our school, guarding Sorcerer's stone and Professor Snape wants to steal it, that is just stupid." Naruto said,

"Let's ask Hagrid about all this later, for now start prepping for the exams." Hermione said, as she started hounding the two boys.

Naruto excused himself and Hermione allowed.

Since, he was just as good as Hermione if not better.  
Naruto made his way out the library and made a beeline towards the third floor, he reached the gate that the other three told him about.  
He took out his wand and waved, the gate opened and as soon as it did, he started whistling a particular tune.

The effect was instantaneous, the Three-headed dog was just standing there unmoving it started to swing around and it dropped on the ground, asleep.  
Naruto was not interested in the trap door beneath its feet. He was interested in the dog itself.

He took turns around the beast still whistling, he still had his sling bag with him, he took out a blood-kit and a small silver metal ball, he tossed the ball in the air, as soon as he did the ball grew wings and a eye opened on the ball, it flew around the dog while Naruto took the blood sample.

When Naruto was done drawing blood he stepped back, the 'eyeball' kept doing rounds while he whistled, he stepped back towards the door and when the ball finally finished its rounds it came back in Naruto's hand and he stepped outside. Closing the door behind him.  
He was in and out before even the dog had a chance to bark,

"Damn! Newt Scamander is a freaking Genius." Naruto muttered as he stepped out and he soon joined the other three to Hagrid's.

They knocked on the door and Hagrid peaked out the gate clad in oven mitts and an apron he looked at the four kids and said.

"Oh, hello. Sorry, don't wish to be rude, but I'm in no fit state to entertain today."

"We know about the Sorcerer's Stone!" Harry, Ron and Hermione said,

Hagrid reopened the Door, peaked out the door once again and said.

"Oh."

They all came into Hagrid's small hut.

Naruto was introduced to Hagrid and they shook hands, he looked around the house, since this was the first time he was here and said,

"This place is cozy and amazing."

"Thank you, Naruto." Hagrid said.

"We think Snape's trying to steal it." Harry said.

"Snape? Blimey, Harry, you're not still on about him, are you?" Hagrid said.

"Hagrid, we know he's after the Stone. We just don't know why?" Harry said.

"'We'? I am not with you guys on this, I believe someone is trying to steal it but it's not Professor Snape."

"Exactly, Snape is one of the teachers protecting the Stone! He's not about to steal it!" Hagrid exclaimed.

"What?" Harry asked.

"You heard. Right. Come on, now, I'm a bit preoccupied today." Hagrid added.

"Wait a minute. One of the teachers?" Naruto asked.

Hermione, who was sitting in a large chair exclaimed, "Of course! There are other things defending the Stone, aren't there? Spells, enchantments."

"That's right. Waste of bloody time, if you ask me. Ain't no one gonna get past Fluffy. Hehe, not a soul knows how. Except for me and Dumbledore. I shouldn't have told you that. I shouldn't have told you that."

Suddenly The cauldron that was over a fire began to rattle.  
As it did, Hagrid hurried over and grabbed whatever was inside, an egg, on the table. The group crowded around the egg,

"Uh, Hagrid, what exactly is that?" Harry asked.

"It's a Dragon's egg, illegal Dragon's egg." Naruto answered in a single look over.

"What?" Hermione said.

"But Hagrid, how did you get one?" Ron asked.

"I won it. Off a stranger I met down at a pub. Seemed quite glad to be rid off it, as a matter of fact." Hagrid answered.

"Of course he was, It's an egg of a Norwegian Ridgeback, not only is it illegal to own one, it's extremely dangerous because they have nasty temper and they grow too damn fast as well," Naruto said.

Everybody looked like they wanted to ask somethings but the rattling of the egg stopped them from saying anything, the egg cracked.  
Pieces flew off as a dragon emerged. It squeaked and slipped on an egg piece.

"It is a Norwegian Ridgeback! My brother Charlie works with these in Romania." Ron said and added,  
"How did you know Naruto?"

"I have read so many books and seen enough research material on dragons to distinguish them from the noises they create, I have been researching them since I was 7."

The Dragon squealed at Hagrid and Hagrid said while petting him,

"Oh isn't he beautiful? Oh. Bless him, look. He knows his mummy. Hehe. Hallo, Norbert?"

"Norbert?" Harry asked,

"Yeah, well, he's got to have a name, doesn't he?" Hagrid replied.

Norbert backed away, hiccuped and blows a fireball into Hagrid's beard. Burning his beard a little.

Hagrid was petting Norbart when he noticed a head in his window, he pointed it out to others who gave the retreating head one look and recognised it at once,

"Malfoy." Harry and Ron said together.

The four where walking back through the corridor. They were discussing how bad it was that Malfoy spotted them and before they could come to a conclusion they were stopped by McGonagall, who was in her nightgown,

"Good evening." She said,

Draco appeared with a smug on his face, and stood beside her.

They all followed McGonagall to her classroom. The four accused were standing in front of McGonagall's desk, while Malfoy was standing a feet away, with a smirk.

After she lead them here, she was scolding them.

"Nothing, I repeat, nothing gives a student the right to walk about the school at night. Therefore, as punishment for your actions, 50 points will be taken." McGonagall said.

"50?!" Harry exclaimed.

"Each. And to ensure it doesn't happen again, all five of you will receive detention." She added.

Malfoy was nodding until she said five, he turned to her said,

"I am sorry Professor but I might have heard you wrong, didn't you mean, 'the four of you'."

"No, Mr. Malfoy you heard me right I said five of, your intentions however 'Noble' kept you out of best, hence breaking the rules so you will also be serving detention with the other four, for now go to bed," She finished, and they did just as they were told they went to bed.


	18. Book 1 Chapter 18: Unicorns in the Forbidden Forest

The next day was not very good for all of them especially for Naruto. Delphini had apologized to him about Draco's behaviour at their secret lesson with Snape.

That wasn't all Naruto, with others had to survive the looks of everyone and during his classesband the cherry on top was they had to serve detention during the time he usually does his research.

So here they were walking with Filch towards Hagrid's hut. Naruto remained silent the entire way there not because he was feeling guilty but because his wand was acting strangely.

It was very cold to touch so Naruto was really worried about his wand.

Pretty soon, Hagrid was leading them to the very edge of the forest. Holding his lamp up high, he pointed down a narrow, winding earth track that disappeared into the thick black trees.

A light breeze lifted their hair as they looked into the forest.

"Look there," said Hagrid, "see that stuff shinin' on the ground? Silvery stuff? That's unicorn blood. There's a unicorn in there bin hurt badly by summat. This is the second time in a week. I found one dead last Wednesday. We're gonna try an' find the poor thing. We might have ter put it out of its misery."

As soon as Hagrid said that it all came into place for Naruto, his wand's core must have sensed the other Unicorn as soon as they got near the forest and it was also worried for the Unicorn, that's why it was acting strangely.

"And what if whatever hurt the unicorn finds us first?" said Malfoy, unable to keep the fear out of his voice.

"There's nothin' that lives in the forest that'll hurt yeh if yer with me or Fang," said Hagrid.

"An' keep ter the path. Right, now, we're gonna split inter two parties an' follow the trail in diff'rent directions. There's blood all over the place, it must've bin staggerin' around since last night at least."

"I want Fang," said Malfoy quickly, looking at Fang's long teeth.

"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a coward," said Hagrid.

"So me, Ron, an' Hermione, will go one way an' Draco, Naruto, Harry an' Fang'll go the other. Now, if any of us finds the unicorn, we'll send up green sparks, right? Get yer wands out an' practice now - that's it - an' if anyone gets in trouble, send up red sparks, an' we'll all come an' find yeh - so, be careful - let's go."

The forest was black and silent. A little way into it they reached a fork in the earth path.  
Ron, Hermione, and Hagrid took the left path while Malfoy, Naruto, Harry and Fang took the right.

As the Fang group was following their trail of blood, they stepped into an open area with a hurt unicorn laying on the ground and a black cloaked figure drinking it's blood, and as soon as they had stepped into the clearing Harry's scar started to burn, Malfoy and Fang ran away, while Naruto's wand burned up.

Like telling Naruto just to draw and point as and the wand would do the rest and he did, as soon as Naruto raised his wand and pointed at the figure who by now was flying towards them, it fired a red energy which took the form of a Unicorn and collided with the figure, throwing said figure far away.

As soon as the figure was gone, a centaur rushed in the clearing but Naruto couldn't do anything but get pulled by his wand towards the dying unicorn, his wand started to suck magic out of him in proportions that he couldn't handle but he didn't deny his wand anything, he let it do as it pleased.

The wand once again glowed red but this time it showered the entire energy on the Unicorn, soon a silvery ball came flying from the forest and went inside the Unicorn's wound, then another followed, then another and another, the wound started to close a little by little as well.

Naruto tried his best but couldn't handle the fatigue that came from letting his wand heal the other Unicorn, as soon as the wound closed completely, Naruto lost consciousness.


	19. Book 1 Chapter 19: Down the Trap Door

Suddenly, he felt the world coming back and he woke up with a jolt to see that he was in the Hospital wing.

It was very late in the night when he woke of up, but he was not alone, Dumbledore seemed to have picked this time to visit him.

"Ahh, you are awake." Dumbledore said.

"You knew I'll wake up right about now, nobody else could stay this late so they are not here. So, don't act surprised." Naruto said while he nursed his head.

"Cannot play you, can I?" Dumbledore chuckled as he sat down on a stool near him.

"What happened?" Naruto asked.

"All I know is, you've been unconscious for about 24 hours now, and you used some extremely strong magic to heal a Unicorn, That was on death's door, so what happened?" Dumbledore said.

"I have no idea about what happened, all I did was follow what my wand told me to do but you already have an idea based on what Harry must have told you, want to tell me what happened, sir?" Naruto asked him.

"Yes, I believe it is your wand, it has a Unicorn core, yes?" when Naruto nodded, he continued.

"I have a further assumption that the Unicorn that gave its hair for your wand core must have been a mother, and due to nature of you magic, which i believe attracts all magical creatures, plants and beasts alike, it bonded with you on extreme grounds and knowing that you will allow it to do anything to save one of its own it did, casting a spell known as, Sana sanguiem." Dumbledore said.

"Heal blood? That's poor naming." Naruto said.

"Well, we old people were never interestested in naming." Dumbledore said with a smile.

"This must have been some spell, it drained me enough to knock me out for 24 hours." Naruto said.

"Yes and with that in mind, you should be going to sleep now, you have exams from tomorrow." Dumbledore said, as he got up from the stool to walk out.

"Oh yeah! I almost forgot, and sir thank you." Naruto said as he started to lie back down,

Dumbledore turned around, smiled at Naruto and walked out of the room.  
The next day Naruto met up with Hermione, Ron, Harry and Delphini. He also heard that Draco had spread a rumor that Naruto had fainted as he saw the dead Unicorn, but Naruto didn't worry about it much, all the people that mattered already knew what happened.

He had filled Delphini in on everything, soon they got busy with their exams, Naruto thought the exams were a waste of his time, since he already knew this stuff but nonetheless as soon the exams were over he was cornered by Delphini and a bunch of other students from his year to get some form of answer key, so they would know what to expect.

He was a little surprised that his three moronic friends were not among the group of students surrounding him and Delphini but he let it go with a thought.

What could they possibly do in a day? Not break more rules and go do something without telling him, Right?

He will find out at night just how moronic his friends are.

Later, Naruto was climbing out of his briefcase, when he noticed Harry, Ron and Neville's bed empty, now it wouldn't be a problem.

He wouldn't concern himself over that normally but his gut told him he should at least check it out.

So, dressed in black pants and an orange hoodie with white stripes. He walked out, his wand with him.

As he casually walked down the stairs from his dorm he saw Neville frozen and laying on the ground, he immediately rushed at him and checked him over, he took a sigh of relief and took out his wand and said.

"You really have to get stuff together Neville, Vindictus Viridian,"

As he waved his wand over Neville's body, Neville's body loosened and He got up with a spring.

"You have to understand Naruto, I tried to stop them but couldn't. I am so sorry."

Neville said with tears in his eyes, Naruto calmed him a little and asked him about what happened.

Neville told him that Harry, Ron and Hermione went out at night again, this time Naruto couldn't help himself but facepalm and say,

"Oh crap! Sorry Neville." Naruto said while he raised his wand towards Neville and said.

"Dormi."  
Neville fainted and Naruto stepped out of the common room and made his way to the third floor without being spotted he reached the door to see it was already open.

"Of course," Naruto muttered as he stepped inside to see Fluffy barking down the now open trap door but it seemed to have noticed him so it raised itself and was about to attack when Naruto started to whistle in the same pattern as before.

Fluffy fell down asleep in a second and Naruto looked down the trap door to see Devil's snare planted below.

He saw a space in its mass and dropped down on said space to directly pass through, he was lucky enough to have caught up with the Moronic three.

As he stepped into the room just in time to see Harry about touch the broomstick floating there.

"Stop!" He shouted.

The three turned around to see him walking towards him,

"Where you following us?" Ron asked.

"I knew you three couldn't help yourself, but why did you have to petrify Neville?" He asked.

"We believe Snape is trying to get the stone for Voldemort." Harry said.

"And the reason Hagrid found a stranger with the dragon's egg was so that the stranger find out how to get through Fluffy." Ron said.

"It is through Music,"; "It is through Music," Both Naruto and Hermione said at the same time,

"How did you know?" Hermione asked, while Harry grew physically impatient.

"Anyone who has read enough books on magical creatures knows, for a Cerberus — No! don't touch the broom,"  
Naruto was pointing out to the fact that Harry just grabbed the broom and as soon as he did, all the flying keys rushed at him to attack,

"Do something both of you!" Ron said as Harry started to fly away and above,

"I cannot do anything without the chance of hitting Harry as well," Naruto said.

"Me too, his only chance is to get the key that unlocks the door or we are doomed." Hermione said.

Just as she said that Harry grabbed something in the air and flew back towards the three of them and as he flew over them, he threw the key to Ron, Ron caught the key opened the door and entered.

Naruto and Hermione closely behind him, they kept the door opened until Harry flew in and as soon as he did they closed the door behind him, they entered to find themselves in a dark room with another door at its end and nothing else.

Everybody knew there was something fishy here, so they stayed still,

'Hagrid's dog, Professor Sprout's Devil snare, The flying keys shouted Professor Flitwick, If I was Dumbledore, I would place obstacles in a way that I trust the challenger, myself at the end, McGonagall just before me, That leaves Snape and Quirrell, but who do I trust more, the potion master or the defence against dark arts teacher that had just arrived?'

These were the thought going inside Naruto's head when it suddenly became extremely clear but he didn't have enough time to tell anyone, anything all he could do was close his eyes and focus, once again there was darkness.


	20. Book 1 Chapter 20: A Dream and the End of the Year

Naruto woke up in an unfamiliar room. He was suprised on how he got here. However he knew the best option would be to look around, He noticed the bedside table and made his way to it.

He opened it's top drawer and noticed a photo album in it. He immediately took the album out and to his shock noticed that these photos were his, with his family.

Naruto quickly turned through them to see all these photos were of his and his family.

He had photos with his three sisters. His grandmother and mother.

Even his Father.

There were photos in which Irene was playing with him, she was his favourite aunt and the one that thaught him everything apparently.

Naruto was crying while looking through the Album when suddenly there was a knock on the door. He quickly cleaned his tears and told whoever it was to enter.

As soon as the door opened his blood turned cold. Standing at his door were his parents. They were both smiling, Kushina noticed his look and moved to sit next to him. She went to put an arm around his shoulder but Naruto retracted for he had never felt this, Kushina might have noticed that as she quickly said.

"What is it honey? Something bothering you?"

"You know kid, that's why I told you to Homeschool or go to Mahoutokoro, if you really wanted to do schooling. Hogwarts was your choice. Not something a boy who has never been away from his family can do without feeling sad." Minato said as he moved to sit next to Kushina.

"I'm sad because none of this is real. The trap was a good one but not something that can trap me. Taking something that the person wanted most and making it real. Excellent but it is nothing.'

As Naruto said that everything around him turned to smoke and then the smoke overtook him completely.

* * *

When he regained his senses, he found out that he was kneeling, the other three surrounding him.

No idea that Naruto had used his mental shield to guard them from the spell and he knew for a fact that he was about to lose consciousness but he saw the door open in front of him, he weakly said,

"I will be alright, just go on without me."

It seemed like others wanted to debate but he continued.

"Don't forget the purpose, the mission, I will be fine, just go and be very careful."

Weakness was evident in his voice but the weights of his words helped the three find their resolve and continued farther.

Hermione sticking a little longer than the both of them, as soon they were gone Naruto lost his footing and fell down.

He turned on his back and gave a weak smile,

"Professor Snape is also a Legilimens, who knew? Maybe he will teach me how to become better,"

With this thought Naruto lost consciousness for good, he would later hear from Hermione about what happened after they left him, from the chess game to Quirrell's betrayal.

* * *

"So wait a damn moment, Ron outplayed Professor McGonagall in chess,"

Naruto, who was lying on a bed next to a now awake Ron with Hermione sitting on a bench in between them,

"Yes, it was hard for me to believe at first but he was really - brilliant." Hermione said.

"Hard to believe? You were there!" Ron exclaimed.

Naruto and Hermione gave each other a look and started laughing, soon Ron joined them but their laughter stopped once they spotted Harry lying unconscious on a bed opposite to them,

"What did Madam Pomfrey say?" Ron asked.

"It will take some time, but he will wake up." Hermione replied.

"Well, while we wait, why don't you all explain what happened down the trap door.." Came the voice of Dumbledore.

Hermione instantly shot up from her bench and stood in attention.

"Relax, Ms. Granger, I have questions for all of you so why don't you sit down as well and we will have a calm conversation." He said, as he pulled a chair for himself,

Ron and Hermione filled Dumbledore upto the part where met up with Naruto, then it was Naruto turn.

He explained the part about how he knew the exact tune that would put every dog to sleep, how he slipped into the hole left by Hermione to escape the devil's snare.

Then they told him about the part of flying keys, finally it was time for the black room,

"So, what happened in the black room?" Dumbledore asked.

"To us, nothing, however Naruto fell on his knees within seconds." Ron said, while Hermione nodded.

"Well, to understand this you have to understand that I am what muggles called a mind reader but in Wizarding world I will termed as a -" Naruto was saying but Ron completed for him

"Legilimens!"

"Yes, But I am a little different, I can read and alter anyone's memory on physical contact, while I have a form of shielding from other Legilimens, it as soon as we entered the black room, I figured out that all the obstacles created had to be created by Your most trusted people," he said while pointing at Dumbledore.

"That list had Hagrid, Professor Sprout, Professor Flitwick, Professor McGonagall and I was divided between Professor Snape and Quirrell and Yourself. "

"Of course, we had already encountered obstacles by first three that left you, Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, Professor Quirrell or both but then I thought you wouldn't trust anybody else with the central defence but yourself."

"Just before you had to come from Professor Mcgonagall, now it left Professor Snape or Professor Quirrell, then it was clear it couldn't be someone who had been in the school for only this year, so it was definitely Professor Snape who's obstacle was the black room."

"I did not know what exactly but it kind of knew it would have to do something with mind, so I just shielded the three with whatever mental energy I had, in hopes that they would figure it out and thank god they did,"

Naruto finished once again leaving Hermione and Ron astonished with just how smart he was.

Dumbledore had a huge smile on his face, he nodded, then looked at Ron and Hermione to fill him up on the events of the chess match.

To Naruto's interest it was Hermione that remembered all the moves that were played the night before.

Then Dumbledore filled them up on what happened between Harry and Professor Quirrell and told them to keep it a secret which they said they would.

"So what happened to the stone, sir?" Ron asked Dumbledore.

"My friend Nicolas and I had a long conversation and now it has been eminent that the stone must be destroyed." Dumbledore answered,

"But that would mean Him and his wife would die!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Yes, they would but they have enough elixir to set their affairs straight and they are glad to welcome death." Dumbledore answered with a smile,

"I will never be able to meet them, but I think it's alright after all they had the wisdom to make this decision, while we don't have enough to stay out of trouble." Naruto said,

Hermione and Ron smiled at this statement while Dumbledore got up while chuckling.

"Of course you don't, if you had, you would be the headmaster of Hogwarts and not me."

And he left while laughing at his own joke, they all looked at each other and started laughing once again.

After that Hermione asked Naruto all kinds of questions about his art of Legilimens. Ron and Naruto were soon discharged after which Naruto went to talk to Delphini who told him that everyone in the school knew that the four of them beat the obstacles put together by The teachers in one go, and Delphini couldn't be prouder but she looked a little sad.

When Naruto asked what it was she just said that she couldn't do all this stuff with Naruto because they were in different houses to which Naruto told her that she didn't want to part of all this mess.

They talked for long enough that it was time for end of the year feast,

At the feast Harry and Ron sat together, while Hermione and Naruto sat together opposite to them,

Suddenly Dumbledore started speaking,

"Another year gone!" Dumbledore said cheerfully.

"And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were - you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts - Now, as I understand it, the house cup here needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with two hundred and sixty two points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy- two."

A storm of cheering and stamping broke out from the Slytherin table.

"Yes, Yes, well done, Slytherin," said Dumbledore. "However, recent events must be taken into account."

The room went very still. The Slytherins' smiles faded a little.

"Ahem," said Dumbledore. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes-"

"First - to Mr. Ronald Weasley..."

Ron went purple in the face; he looked like a radish with a bad sunburn.

" - for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

Gryffindor cheers nearly raised the bewitched ceiling; the stars overhead seemed to quiver.  
Percy could be heard telling the other prefects, "My brother, you know! My youngest brother! Got past McGonagall's giant chess set!"

At last there was silence again.

"It takes great determination to stand by someone till you can stand, it is a hero's definition to think of others safety before oneself, it is a warrior's definition to put the purpose before their own needs and it is sign of great mind to not only prevent someone from breaking your will but at the same time breaking down your challengers strategy."

The hall was still.

"To Mr. Naruto Namikaze for showing the signs of Determination, Heroism and use of his great mind and acting as a true warrior, I award 50 points."

Gryffindor once again erupted in cheers, Fred who was sitting next to Naruto almost broke his back from how hard he was tapping it, Naruto just smiled awkwardly.

"Third - to Miss Hermione Granger... for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

Hermione buried her face in her arms, she was most probably crying.

"Fourth- to Mr. Harry Potter..." said Dumbledore. The room went deadly quiet.

"For pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points."

The din was deafening. Those who could add up while yelling themselves hoarse knew that Gryffindor now had four hundred and seventy-two points - exactly the same as Slytherin.

They had tied for the house cup - if only Dumbledore had given just one more point.

Dumbledore raised his hand. The room gradually fell silent.

"There are all kinds of courage," said Dumbledore, smiling. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much if not more to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom."

Someone standing outside the Great Hall might well have thought some sort of explosion had taken place, so loud was the noise that erupted from the Gryffindor table. Everybody stood up to yell and cheer as Neville, white with shock, disappeared under a pile of people hugging him. He had never won so much as a point for Gryffindor before.

"Which means,"

Dumbledore called over the storm of applause, for even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were celebrating the downfall of Slytherin,

"We need a little change of decoration."

He clapped his hands. In an instant, the green hangings became scarlet and the silver became gold; the huge Slytherin serpent vanished and a towering Gryffindor lion took its place. Snape was shaking Professor McGonagall's hand, with a horrible, forced smile.

* * *

Sooner than Naruto wanted his first year at Hogwarts had ended, while everyone was about to leave on the boats, Dumbledore had told Naruto to pack all his stuff in his briefcase and sling bag, and arrive at Dumbledore's office. Naruto arrived just as told to see Dumbledore standing by his table,

"Sir, you asked to see me?" Naruto asked as he entered,

"Yes, I had contact with a friend of mine, I told him all about your ambition to peruse his art ,for noble reasons, and he said that he wanted to meet you, and if you impress him, he might just teach you whatever he knows,so?" Dumbledore said as he extended his arm,

"Are you ready for a chance at summer school with the best?"

Naruto was shocked to hear this but he quickly got over his shock and grabbed Dumbledore's extended arm,

"I am always up for a challenge."

They both Disapparated.


	21. Book 2 Chapter 1: What I did Last Summer

Naruto and Dumbledore appeared in the same room they first met.

Dumbledore smiled at him and they both exit through the door to appear back in front of the red telephone booth, instead of walking away from it.

They didn't move away from it but instead turned to stand next to it.

They stepped back inside when the booth appeared back. Dumbledore took out some coins and Naruto saw him dial,  
62442

The booth acted as if it was a elevator and descended, Naruto was silent throughout the trip. Finally the booth stopped and they walked out of it.

They were standing at one end of a very long and splendid hall with a highly polished, dark wood floor. The peacock blue ceiling was inlaid with gleaming golden symbols that kept moving and changing like some enormous heavenly noticeboard.

The walls on each side were panelled in shiny dark wood and had many gilded fireplaces set into them. Every few seconds a witch or wizard would emerge from one of the left-hand fireplaces with a soft whoosh. On the right-hand side, short queues were forming before each fireplace, waiting to depart.

Halfway down the hall was a fountain. A group of golden statues, larger than life-size, stood in the middle of a circular pool. Tallest of them all was a noble-looking wizard with his wand pointing straight up in the air.

Grouped around him were a beautiful witch, a centaur, a goblin and a house-elf. The last three were all looking adoringly up at the witch and wizard.

Glittering jets of water were flying from the ends of their wands, the point of the centaur's arrow, the tip of the goblins hat and each of the house-elf's ears, so that the tinkling hiss of falling water was added to the pops and cracks of the Apparators and the clatter of footsteps as hundreds of witches and wizards, most of whom were wearing glum, early-morning looks, strode towards a set of golden gates at the far end of the hall.

Naruto followed Dumbledore further in the Ministry until they were in front of a department.

'Department Of International Travel'

"International? Where are we going sir?" Naruto asked.

"Paris." Dumbledore answered,

"Who lives in -!" Naruto's eyes slowly started to widen as realisation struck him.

"No!" Naruto exclaimed as Dumbledore and Naruto stepped into a chimneys.

"Yes," Dumbledore said as they both caught green fire.

Naruto and Dumbledore appeared at the French Ministry Of Magic, After they both informed the receptionist about their purpose in Paris, as soon as they stepped out of the ministry, Dumbledore once again extended their arm, Naruto held it and they both apparated away to appear in front of a old stone house.  
It had at least three floors, that were visible from outside, it might have a extension charm to extend it.

They walked up to the door and knocked, they heard something and waited, soon the door was opened by a old woman, wearing beautiful blue robes, she saw Dumbledore smiled and said while enveloped him in a hug.

"Oh, Albus, I heard you were coming, please come in,"  
"It is an honour Perenelle," He replied. While hugging her back.

After they did their greetings, she stepped aside to let Dumbledore in. Naruto came in front of her and she extended an arm to him.

"You must be Naruto Namikaze, Albus has told us all about you, please come in," She said.

"Ma'am you have no idea what an honour and a privilege it is to meet you.", Naruto said as he followed her into the house.

Naruto saw Dumbledore talking to the person they had come to Paris to meet, there standing like a skeleton in all his glory was.

"Nicolas Flamel!" Naruto whispered in awe.

The man turned to Naruto and extended his hand,

"It is nice to finally meet you. Dumbledore has told me much about your interest and effectiveness in Alchemy but he did not tell me why? Why are you interested in Alchemy?" Flamel asked.

Naruto went over an entire conversation in his head about whether he could trust Flamel with this information or not.

Finally agreeing that if Dumbledore had gone over the trouble of bringing him here, It must be for more than just farewell to an old friend.

So, Naruto placed his briefcase on the ground and stepped into it, just before he went completely inside the briefcase.

He held his hand out and made a 'come on' gesture.

Dumbledore and the Flamel couple followed him inside to step into a room with stairs behind them, a sofa with some pillows and blanket by the left wall, a table with a chest and some stationary on it and a door opposite to them, the walls had multiple paper clippings stuck on them.

Naruto had just put his sling bag on top of his Hogwarts trunk.

"So, what you are about to see is my interests as well as research on all the things that I might require plants, instruments or some creatures that I have rescued from the forbidden forest when no one was looking," Naruto said with one hand on the knob of the door.

Each one of them gave a combination of looks but nodded.

As soon as Naruto opened the door a glowing jelly like tentacle came inside the room and instantly latched onto Naruto and pulled him out.  
The other three followed and what they saw instantly peaked were instantly intrigued by what they saw inside.

Many curtains of different colour surrounding them, Naruto was dragged into the only open one, it was blue they walked inside to see what appeared to be beach, Naruto was held high above the water surface by the tentacle while more tentacles were swirling around him, giant crabs on the beach bathing under the artificial sun, the tentacles were swinging Naruto around quite hard but he was just laughing,

"Hey stop! if you want to eat." He suddenly exclaimed to which the tentacles stopped swinging him around and gently placed him on the beach, He took out his wand from his pocket and waved it, a bucket full of alive fishes came flying towards him and he poured them into the artificial water body.

"It's a jelly squid of Pacific, a traveller had dumped him in the black lake, when he must have become more trouble than profit."

"When I found him he was extremely malnourished, it took me complete last 3 months to nurse him back to his health, I also had only one Cancer with me but turned out she had fertilised eggs and now I have 60. So, till I find a place for them I am taking care of them and since I will be leaving them away cannot have them fully grown without the ability to hunt."

As he said that some of the giant crabs moved towards the water while other remained.

"I also have a bunch of other magical creatures but most of my spaces are filled with plants and normal animals that I found hurt or out of their home, I have different areas for different climates for better growth,"

He said as he walked them all out of the aquatic climate and into a rainforest climate.

There the three elder wizards could distinguish some amazing plants.

Dumbledore's eye caught a particular creature, which he could not let pass,

"Is that?"

"The unicorn that I or, well my wand saved. He was still pretty weak, the 'back from the death' encounter really took its toll on the little guy and the others were picking on him. So, he is staying with me till he recovers."

Naruto replied as they reached a small wooden hut inside the Rainforest area.  
They entered to find the place filled with books and piles of papers lying around.

Nicolas noted that there were many books on Alchemy that he approved of, the placement of hut was a shared question in the three wizards minds and Naruto gave the answer to their unasked question.

"I find peace among the trees or deep in water, sometimes it gets frustrating so stepping out helps leaps and bounds."

"I feel the same way." Penelope added.

"So show us what is this research of yours?" Nicolas asked as he sat on the only couch in the room which was cleaned by Naruto. The other two sat beside Nicolas, Naruto took a deep breath and said,

"I am studying to eradicate all known Blood Curses."

Naruto waited for reactions from the two Flammels and he got what he expected.

Looks of shock and bewilderment but he continued.

It took almost an hour with all the questions and everything to finish his explanation.

While he also added the things that he had found during his first year at hogwarts after which Nicolas had only said that they should head up once again.

They all came out in silence while on the way Naruto did everything that needed to be done for all the creatures in his case.

At the moment they were out of the case and back into the hall, a tense silence among them was settled when Nicolas spoke.

"You really have outdone yourself Albus." He said with a chuckle.

"Didn't I tell you it will all be worth it." Dumbledore said with smile.

"I have made my decision, young Naruto will be the one to learn all my secrets." Nicolas said while looking at Naruto.

All eyes turned to Naruto whose eyes were open as big as saucers, his mouth agape, he blinked muttered a 'ok' and went unconscious, literally.

The other three occupants of the room looked at each other and started laughing.


	22. Book 2 Chapter 2: The Dying Flame

Late night  
Funeral Paris,  
Flamel Tomb,

* * *

It was two weeks before the train left for Hogwarts but Magical Community in Paris was in Mourning.

The Flamels were dead. They had finally embarked on the journey after this life.

All were gathered just outside the tomb with Flamel family crest.  
Naruto stood just outside with others.

He had grown a couple of inches in the last few months.

At this moment, he was wearing funeral robes but even through them bandages on his hands were visible, his briefcase by his right leg, his sling bag on his left.  
Directly behind him stood two figures. One was Dumbledore in black robes. While next to him stood who can only be described as a handsome woman: an olive-skinned face with a beak-like nose and large, black, liquid-looking eyes. Her hair was drawn back in a shining knob at the base of her neck. She is dressed from head to foot in black satin, and is laden with opal jewellery.

This woman was Madam Maxime, the headmistress of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic.

Many more people stood in attendance, 10 files of girls dressed in blue all carrying some sort of instruments and a lot of other wizards.

However a woman in Black dress and black veil stood out amongst them all. She was the current minister of magic in France.  
They all stood in attendance as they waited, waited for Naruto to speak because he was the one that was selected by everyone to speak at the funeral.

Many people had wet eyes but there was silence. It was sudden, when Naruto spoke just as someone sniffed.

"Don't!" Naruto said.

Everyone straightened up.

"Don't cry, laugh. Don't frown, smile."

He turned around and they spotted his tear stained face.

"If you are sad for these two greats embarking on the next great adventure of their lives then you have no business being here, so instead of being sad."

Naruto took out his wand and pointed it up towards the sky. Out of it shot an orange spark that flew up and burst into multiple sparks like fireworks.

"Join me in celebrating their life and their next big adventure." He finished and smiled.

Dumbledore smiled and raised his wand and send red sparks, soon the sky was filled with multiple fireworks.

After a while everyone cleared the tombs, Naruto and Dumbledore were the only ones left.

"They were so nice and loving, I once again had a kind of family in my life." Naruto said.

"I figured." Dumbledore said.

"He left me all his journals and books, and she left me some plants she's been taking care of since before they were married, her grandfather's watch." He said as he held out an silver pocket watch was engraved with the symbol of containing a Dragon circumscribed in a hexagram.

"And the best thing they left me is a personal cook book." He finished with a low chuckle.

Dumbledore shared this moment with only a smile, his ears suddenly twitched as he said.

"I believe it is time that we leave."

Naruto looked around the graveyard than with a final sigh turned around his briefcase in one hand and other hand extended to gently come in contact with Dumbledore's extended hand as Dumbledore took out a pocket watch this one was also silver but it had French flag and signil of French ministry of magic engraved on it.

A literal portable portkey.

It chimed and they both were sucked into the watch.


	23. Book 2 Chapter 3: Elizabeth 'Betty' Cooper

Now, Naruto had a pretty heavy week so he did not have the time to check the stupid inventory letter that he had gotten from Hogwarts.

Add to that Dumbledore had dropped him off in the Leaky Cauldron so that he could go shopping for stuff in Diagon Alley the next day and be ready for school.

So, instead of sulking he finally decided to check the list and him being surprised by what he saw was an understatement.

SECOND-YEAR STUDENTS WILL REQUIRE:

The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 by Miranda Goshawk

Break with a Banshee by Gilderoy Lockhart

Gadding with Ghouls by Gilderoy Lockhart

Holidays with Hags by Gilderoy Lockhart

Travels with Trolls by Gilderoy Lockhart

Voyages with Vampires by Gilderoy Lockhart

Wanderings with Werewolves by Gilderoy Lockhart

Year with the Yeti by Gilderoy Lockhart

* * *

"I have never heard of this guy, and suddenly we have to buy 5 of his books?"

Naruto thought out loud but soon he took a sigh and put the letter on the bed side table while he took out a photo out of his sling bag.

It was a muggle photograph of him in red robes with The Flamel's at an event he attended with them.  
He looked at it some than put it back in his bag and then he turned around and went to sleep.

The next day was when he decided to visit Diagon alley. After having breakfast at The Leaky Cauldron. Naruto was heading away from Gringotts alone with his Walkman, playing Jon Bon Jovi's 'Blaze of Glory'.

He was not paying much attention to others, hood of his robes covering his head when suddenly a figure collided into him while trying to run past him.

It was a blond girl maybe a year younger than him, she was wearing a frock with slacks under some robes that were no doubt just bought.

Now, he may be 12 but he has been training both his body and mind for most his life so her colliding into was only just felt by him, him colliding with her was like she ran straight into a brick wall.

The effect was, she fell on her ass while he didn't even move much. He instantly pulled down his hood and headphones.  
However before he could do much else he heard a familiar voice call out.

"Betty, That is why you shouldn't run."  
He turned around to see his best friend Hermione with four adults close behind her approaching him.

"Sorry." The blonde said, the blond's American accent was sticking out like a sore thumb.  
Just as the blonde on the floor was finally getting up Hermione finally noticed him as she exclaimed.

"Naruto!" And she hugged him.

She was comfortable doing this with Naruto at this point.  
Naruto gave her a huge smile as he hugged her back, he soon pulled away to address everybody else, he started with the young girl.

"Hey I am sorry if you got hurt because of me." He said to the blonde girl.

Before she could reply however, the older blonde woman of the group who Naruto guessed to be the mother of the girl interjected.

"It is not your fault young man, it was Betty's for getting over excited and running ahead,"

"Mom!" The young girl pressed, clearly embarrassed.

"It's alright, I am Naruto U. Namikaze by the way." He said as he held his hand out to the The young girl.

she took his hand and shook it while introducing herself.

"Elizabeth Copper but my friends call me Betty," She said,

After this Naruto was introduced to the four adults by Hermione and after the introductions were finally over. It was Hermione's mother that asked him.

"Naruto, where is your guardian?"

He visibly noticed Mrs. Copper perk up at that. Apparently she wanted to ask the same question.  
So, Naruto gave a strained smile and answered.

"Back in Japan, they figured I could shop on my own so they didn't bother coming."

Everyone, even Betty knew this was a lie but nobody dare point it, it was Hermione that diffused the tension by suddenly pointing to a pair of people behind him and shouting.

"Harry! Harry! Over here!"

Naruto turned around and spotted the two figures.

They were none other that Hagrid and Harry Potter, though Harry's appearance had seen better days he was easily distinguishable, Harry instantly moved towards the group.

"Naruto! Hermione! it is so good to see you too." - Harry

"Same mate." - Naruto

"It's Harry Potter from the books!" - Betty

It was Hermione that asked Harry,

"What happened to your glasses? Hello, Hagrid - Oh, it's wonderful to see you two again - Are you going into Gringotts, Harry?"

"As soon as I've found the Weasleys," said Harry.

"Yeh won't have long ter wait," Hagrid said with a grin.

Harry and Hermione looked around: Sprinting up the crowded street were Ron, Fred, George, Percy, and Mr. Weasley.

As soon as the Weasley twin spotted Naruto.

Fred extended his left hand while George extended his right hand and Naruto extended both his hand joining them with alternate hand of twins and started doing some hand movements and clapping, which finally ended with Naruto bro-hugging both the boys together.

Their personal handshake.

Everybody just watched this and recovered without saying anything about it.

While they discussed what happened with Harry in Knockturn alley. Finally everybody was introduced to everybody and it was time for shopping.

"We have to go into the bank." Ron said pointing to his family and Harry.

"We also have to." Hermione told him pointing to herself and Betty, Betty who had already found a new friend in Ginny.

"I have already been." Naruto said. "So why don't we all head separately for now but meet back at Flourish and Blotts, at about noon?"

"That's a great idea." Mr. Weasley interjected.

Everybody agreed and they all went their different ways, Naruto already had a list he wanted to finish but since now he had deadline he moved with a new pace.


	24. Book 2 Chapter 4: The Man in Black and the Hogwarts Express

It was at about 12:30 that Naruto made it to Flourish and Blotts to see his dubbed Moronic trio standing by the show and they were by no means the only ones making their way to the bookshop.

As he approached them, he saw to his surprise a large crowd jostling out side the doors, trying to get in. The reason for this was proclaimed by a large banner stretched across the upper windows:

* * *

GILDEROY LOCKHART will be signing copies of his autobiography MAGICAL ME

Today 12:30 P.M. to 4:30 P.M.

* * *

"So I will get to see him for myself." Naruto whispered as he finally met up with the moronic trio.

"Hey guys!"

"Naruto did you see, we get to meet the guy who wrote almost all our books." Hermione told him as she pointed to the banner.

The crowd seemed to be made up mostly of witches around Mrs. Weasley's age. A harassed-looking wizard stood at the door, saying.

"Calmly, please, ladies...Don't push, there... mind the books, now..."

They all squeezed inside.

A long line wound right to the back of the shop, where Gilderoy Lockhart was signing his books.  
They each grabbed a copy of The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2 and sneaked up the line to where the rest of the Weasleys were standing with Grangers and Coopers

"Oh, there you all are, good," said Mrs. Weasley. She sounded breathless and kept patting her hair.

"We'll be able to see him in a minute..." she said dreamily.

Gilderoy Lockhart came slowly into view, seated at a table surrounded by large pictures of his own face, all winking and flashing dazzlingly white teeth at the crowd.  
The real Lockhart was wearing robes of forget-me-not blue that exactly matched his eyes; his pointed wizard's hat was set at a jaunty angle on his wavy hair.

A short, irritable-looking man was dancing around taking photographs with a large black camera that emitted puffs of purple smoke with every blinding flash.

"Out of the way, there," he snarled at Ron, moving back to get a better shot. "This is for the Daily Prophet -"

Before the photographer could do anything else his collar was grabbed and he was lifted off the ground by none other than Naruto,

"One, Apologise. Two, watch it or else next time your name will be printed in Prophet's obituary section." Naruto said in low voice only enough for his friends and photographer to listen.

"I am...I am sorry sir." Photographer said to Ron who nodded to him with a smug smile.

As the photographer was let go. Naruto got exactly what he wanted out of the interaction, Gilderoy lockhart's attention.

He saw Naruto and then he saw Harry. He stared. Then he leapt to his feet and positively shouted.

"It can't be Harry Potter?"

The crowd parted, whispering excitedly; Lockhart dived forward, seized Harry's arm and pulled him to the front.  
The crowd burst into applause. Harry's face turned red as Lockhart shook his hand for the photographer, who was clicking away madly, but feets away from Naruto and party.

"Nice big smile, Harry," said Lockhart, through his own gleaming teeth. "Together, you and I are worth the front page."

When he finally let go of Harry's hand. He tried to sidle back over to the Weasleys but Lockhart threw an arm around his shoulders and clamped him tightly to his side.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he said loudly, waving for quiet. "What an extraordinary moment this is! The perfect moment for me to make a little announcement I've been sitting on for some time! When young Harry here stepped into Flourish and Blotts today, he only wanted to buy my autobiography -which I shall be happy to present him now, free of charge-"

The crowd applauded again.  
"He had no idea," Lockhart continued, giving Harry a little shake that made his glasses slip to the end of his nose, "that he would shortly be getting much, much more than my book, Magical Me. He and his schoolmates will, in fact, be getting the real magical me. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have great pleasure and pride in announcing that this September, I will be taking up the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"

"What?!"

Naruto surprise stood out even among the crowds cheering and clapped.

"Why, yes young man, I understand your disbelief after all it's Me!" Gilderoy said, as the crowd once again cheered.

While this was going on Harry found himself being presented with the entire works of Gilderoy Lockhart.  
Staggering slightly under their weight, he managed to make his way out of the limelight to the edge of the room, where Ginny and Betty were standing next to their new cauldrons.

"You have these," Harry mumbled to her, tipping the books into Ginny's cauldron. "I'll buy my own -"

"Bet you loved that, didn't you, Potter?" said a voice Harry had no trouble recognizing.  
He straightened up and found himself face-to-face with Draco Malfoy, who was wearing his usual sneer.

"Famous Harry Potter," said Malfoy. "Can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page."

"Leave him alone, he didn't want all that!" said Ginny. While Betty straightened was the first time Ginny had spoken in front of Harry. She was glaring at Malfoy.

"Potter, you've got yourself a girlfriend!" drawled Malfoy. Ginny went scarlet as Ron and Hermione fought their way over, clutching stacks of Lockhart's books.  
Naruto casually walking behind them, one hand in his black jeans pocket while other hand holding his books.

"Oh, it's you," said Ron, looking at Malfoy as if he were something unpleasant on the sole of his shoe.  
"Bet you're surprised to see Harry here, eh?"

"Not as surprised as I am to see you in a shop, Weasley," retorted Malfoy.  
"I suppose your parents will go hungry for a month to pay for all those."

Ron got angry and started marching toward Malfoy but Harry and Hermione grabbed the back of his jacket.

"Ron!" said Mr. Weasley, struggling over with Fred and George.

"What are you doing? It's too crowded in here, let's go outside."

"Well, well, well - Arthur Weasley."

It was Mr. Malfoy. He stood with his hand on Draco's shoulder, sneering in just the same way.

"Lucius," said Mr. Weasley, nodding coldly.

"Busy time at the Ministry, I hear," said Mr. Malfoy. "All those raids...I hope they're paying you overtime?"

He reached into Ginny's cauldron and extracted, from amid the glossy Lockhart books, a very old, very battered copy of A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration.

"Obviously not," Mr. Malfoy said. "Dear me, what's the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?"

Mr. Weasley flushed darker than either Ron or Ginny.

"We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy." he said.

"Clearly," said Mr. Malfoy, his pale eyes straying to Grangers and Coopers, who were watching apprehensively.  
"The company you keep, Weasley...and I thought your family could sink no lower -"

Arthur was about to plunge forward but a ominous voice stopped all action among the group.

"I think that is enough."

They all turned around to see a man well dressed in black, about 6 ft in height and slender in build his hat and high collar of his coat hiding his features apart from his white skin.

They all looked away on impulse all but Naruto who felt something familiar in the man, the man must have felt the same as he was leaning towards Naruto.

Naruto could not see his lips in anyway but could feel the man smile, he started heading out the door as he was almost out of the shop it was then that Lucius grew a pair and said.

"How dare you -!"

However once again he was cut but this time by a familiar voice.

"Let it go, uncle."

It was none other that Delphini, and Lucius did as commanded and stood down chose this movement as his time to exit, Draco close behind him. Delphini waited them turned to Naruto and said,

"See you in the train." She said,

"Yeah." was all Naruto could muster as she exited.

They were silent.

Naruto was feeling a bit odd right now so he knew it be better to leave now.

"See you all at the train." He said as he also exited the shop without waiting for any reply.

He came back to the leaky Cauldron straight away and ordered himself some food while thinking about the only thing he could think of, the Man in black.

* * *

The rest of time before beginning of school went pretty normally for Naruto studying, taking care of things in his briefcase and researching.  
He wanted to talk to Irene about all that had happened to him over the last few months but couldn't because as she had some extremely important mission to complete.

Finally it was the day they were supposed to board the train, Naruto got up early and made it to 9 ¾ pretty soon.

At the station he was looking for a coach to board when he ran into none other than Hermione and Betty.  
Both of them being followed closely behind by their parents.

"Hey guys." Naruto said as soon as they spotted him.

"Hey Naruto." Hermione said, but Betty just muttered something under her breath that he couldn't quite make out.

"Hello Mr. & Mrs. Granger, Mr. & Mrs. Cooper." He greeted the four adults, they greeted him back.

Then they started to look for a coach together.

Finally they did and then the three children boarded the train.

Naruto first as the other two had to say their goodbyes to their parents and afterwards they both also joined him in the cabin that he had found.  
They waited patiently for Ron, Harry and Delphini but none of them showed up, finally the train whistled and started to move.

"Where are they?" Hermione finally asked.

"Calm down, they might have boarded a different coach due to some reason, we will see them at school so just sit calmly." Naruto said as he relaxed a bit.

He looked at Betty who seemed to be stressing herself.

In his mind Naruto thought that it might be due to nervousness and so to calm her down he thought about having a light conversation.

"So Betty- " he was speaking but suddenly Betty almost shouted back at him, as if waiting for him to say anything.

"Yes!" Naruto got a little startled. Hermione just raised an eyebrow.

"Calm down," he said, before she could say anything else he added.

"It's alright to be nervous and I have heard talking helps."

"Alright." Betty said a little calmer.

"I'll let you go first." Naruto said pointing to Betty.

"Naruto, where are you originally from?"- Betty.

"I'm from Japan originally but now I am living in England."

"Where did you spend your holidays because you told me in a letter you were not in England." Hermione asked.

"I was with Family in Paris."  
"I believe you are from America." Naruto said while pointing to Betty, who nodded.

"So why Hogwarts and not Ilvermorny?" - Naruto.

"Well, my parents worked for this major newspaper and they gave both of them an amazing offer in England and we moved here near Hermione's home over a year ago, so when Professor McGonagall came to visit me, both of us were quite surprised."

"That's nice, Betty now I believe it is too soon to ask what you want to be now but if you need help with anything you can always ask me and I'll do my best to help, house does not matter, alright?" Naruto said,

"Yeah, absolutely." Betty replied.

They were approaching a bridge when Hermione said.

"We should start changing, we will reach soon."

"Yeah, I'll go firs..... oh my god."

Naruto said while looking out the window the other two followed his vision to see a flying blue car from which a very familiar figure was hanging from an open door.

"Those two." Hermione said in monotonous disbelief, while Betty just looked out trying to figure out if this was normal for wizarding schools.


	25. Book 2 Chapter 5: The Return

At Hogmeade station second years and above travelled through carriages while first years followed the same path through lake as they did last year.

At the school they settled down and the first years were brought in.

Naruto did not pay attention to announcements as he was looking at Delphini who was sitting and also looking directly at him.

Not a word was whispered between them, they were talking through their eyes and it was clear that something was wrong. He did however pay attention when he heard.

"Cooper, Elizabeth."

He didn't hear the hat say anything for enough time fot even the teachers got excited as time passed, finally after eight minutes the hat said.

"Gryffindor!"  
The table erupted as everyone cheered.

Hermione was clapping hardest as Betty moved to sit next to Hermione to be later joined by Ginny and then Naruto joined them in a conversation with everyone.

While looking around Naruto did see Snape appear and talk to McGonagall whose face went red in anger. Then she whispered in Dumbledore's ear and the trio left.

Naruto was clear that Ron and Harry had safely arrived.

Their future in Hogwarts however was still the remaining question. Then almost at the end of the feast all three returned.  
Naruto followed everyone back to Gryffindor common room but he did not enter he simply stayed outside.

Hermione noticed this and stood next to him in confusion.

"Those idiots don't know the password."

So, they stood by secret entrance to Gryffindor Tower.

Which was hidden behind an oil painting of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress.  
Soon Ron and Harry arrived and while Hermione had a scowl, Naruto was smirking at them. Before Hermione could say anything Naruto said.

"Wattlebird,"

The portrait of the fat lady swung open and there was a sudden storm of clapping.  
It looked as though the whole of Gryffindor House was still awake packed into the circular common room, standing on the lopsided tables and squashy armchairs, waiting for them to arrive.

A couple arms reached through the portrait hole to pull Harry and Ron inside, leaving Hermione to scramble in after them, while Naruto calmly entered last.

"Brilliant!" yelled Lee Jordan.  
"Inspired! What an entrance! Flying a car right into the Whomping Willow, people'll be talking about that one for years -"

"Good for you," said a fifth year, someone was patting Harry on the back as though he'd just won a marathon;  
Fred and George pushed their way to the front of the crowd and said together, "Why couldn't we've come in the car, eh?"

Ron was scarlet in the face, grinning embarrassedly, everyone was joyous or excited about what the duo had done but Naruto spotted another person who didn't look happy at all.

Percy was visible over the heads of some excited first years and he seemed to be trying to get near enough to start telling them off.  
Harry nudged Ron in the ribs and nodded in Percy's direction. Ron got the point at once.

"Got to get upstairs - bit tired," he said, and the two of them started pushing their way toward the door on the other side of the room, which led to a spiral staircase and the dormitories.

"'Night," Harry called back to Hermione, who was wearing a scowl just like Percy's.

They managed to get to the other side of the common room, still having their backs slapped and gained the peace of the hurried up it, right to the top, and at last reached the door of their old dormitory, which now had a sign on it saying SECOND YEARS.

They entered the familiar, circular room, with six beds and its high, narrow windows.

Their trunks had been brought up for them and stood at the ends of their beds.

Ron grinned guiltily at Harry.

"I know I shouldn't've enjoyed that or anything, but..."

The dormitory door flew open and in came the other second year Gryffindor boys, Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas, Neville Longbottom and finally Naruto.

"Unbelievable!" beamed Seamus.

"Cool," said Dean.

"Amazing," said Neville, awestruck.

"Lucky." Naruto said as he fell on his bed.

Harry couldn't help it. He grinned, too.

The next day Naruto got back in his old routine.

As soon as he woke up he took his briefcase to the forest and as soon as he was far enough, he put it down on the ground and opened it, within seconds creatures started to emerge from the bag and running into the forest.

Amaterasu emerged with red flames and flew straight towards the tower that housed Dumbledore's office, white flames erupted out of which a chili Kurama flew out and nested on his head and finally a white Unicorn emerged.

This one was a lot different from the one he had taken with him, this one was bigger, more muscular and his horn was emitting magic.  
The Unicorn instead of running into the forest like other creatures had done, nudged Naruto for a pat, which Naruto happily obliged for and said.

"It's alright kid, we will still see each other around no need to get sad on me, now go and tell those jerks who is the boss."  
The Unicorn nudged Naruto once again and then turned around and ran into the forest.

"That must have been sad." Kurama said.

"It was and are you ready to be introduced into the world?" Naruto asked.

"We have been training for days so that we can be strong enough for a transformation that would hold, I am more than ready."

"Not yet but soon the world will know us and then it will be You and me against the world Kurama."

"Damn straight!" Kurama howled as Naruto picked up his briefcase and travelled back to the castle. He knew that Snape was going to lecture him today anyway so might as well get it over with.

At his and Delphini's lecture with Snape.

Snape told that he had a new plan of studying, they are going to follow, that was that since Snape had a lot on his plates he had decided against taking regular classes and instead issued both of them books that he was wanted them to be thorough about.

Naruto wanted to talk to Delphini before she they headed up to the Great Hall but Delphini moved swiftly and entered her common room.

So, Naruto was carrying the book with him to breakfast alone but just as he was about to turn to enter the great hall he put the book in his bag and took out one of Gilderoys' books.

He made it to breakfast table to see Hermione along with Betty and Ginny did, the three sitting opposite to Harry and Ron, so he reached and sat next to Ron.

"Where have you been?" Ron asked.

"Was out for a morning run, what's up with her face." Naruto pointed to Hermione's face.

"She's just giving us the look of disappointment." Harry answered.

"Why?" Naruto asked.

"'Why?' They flew a car to Hogwarts! They could've been dead or worse expelled." Hermione said, Betty and Ginny gave her a startled look.

"One, set your priorities straight, you scaring your juniors." waving to Betty and Ginny.

"Second, desperate times and I believe in karma, they will face their justice not by us but by higher powers."

He finished taking a huge bite out of the sandwich on his plate and as if waiting for this queue there was a rushing sound overhead and a hundred or so owls streamed in.  
Circling the hall and dropping letters and packages into the chattering crowd.

A big, lumpy package bounced off Neville's head and, a second later, something large and gray fell into Hermione's milk jug, spraying them all with milk and feathers.

"Holy hell!" Naruto shouted as he got a face full of milk.

"See, Karma does her thing for being a jerk to Hermione."  
He said to Betty and Ginny, both of them giggled but all their attention was brought to Ron.

"Enrol!" said Ron, pulling the bedraggled owl out by the feet.  
Errol slumped, unconscious, onto the table, his legs in the air and a damp red envelope in his beak.

"Oh, no -" Ron gasped.

"It's all right, he's still alive," said Hermione, prodding Errol gently with the tip of her finger.

"It's not that - it's that."

Ron was pointing at the red envelope.  
It looked quite ordinary to Harry, but Ron and Neville were both looking at it as though they expected it to explode.

"Oh damn." Naruto said looking at the envelope.

"What's the matter?" said Harry.

"She's - she's sent me a Howler," said Ron faintly.

"You'd better open it, Ron," said Neville in a timid whisper.  
"It'll be worse if you don't My gran sent me one once, and I ignored it and" - he gulped - "it was horrible." He added.

Harry looked from their petrified faces to the red envelope.  
"What's a Howler?" he said.

But Ron's whole attention was fixed on the letter, which had begun to smoke at the corners.

"Open it mate," Naruto urged. "It'll all be over in a few minutes -"

Ron stretched out a shaking hand, eased the envelope from Errol's beak, and slit it open. Neville stuffed his fingers in his ears.  
A split second later, Harry knew why all who had magical parentage were so anxious.  
He thought for a moment it had exploded; a roar of sound filled the huge hall, shaking dust from the ceiling.

"STEALING THE CAR, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEY'D EXPELLED YOU, YOU WAIT TILL I GET HOLD OF YOU, I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT WAS GONE -"

Mrs. Weasley's yells, a hundred times louder than usual, made the plates and spoons rattle on the table, and echoed deafeningly off the stone walls.  
People throughout the hall were swiveling around to see who had received the Howler, and Ron sank so low in his chair that only his crimson forehead could be seen.

"- LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME, WE DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS, YOU AND HARRY COULD BOTH HAVE DIED -"

Harry had been wondering when his name was going to crop up. He tried very hard to look as though he couldn't hear the voice that was making his eardrums throb.

"-ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING - YOUR FATHER'S FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT AND IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT BACK HOME."


	26. Book 2 Chapter 6: Defence Against the Dark Arts apparently

Later, Naruto followed the three to the greenhouse and it seemed like Hermione had accepted the Howler as Harry and Ron's punishment since she was acting nice to both of them again.

As they neared the greenhouses they saw the rest of the class standing outside, waiting for Professor Sprout.  
The four had only just joined them when she came striding into view across the lawn, accompanied by Gilderoy Lockhart.

Professor Sprout's arms were full of bandages, and Naruto noticed the twinge of guilt on Harry's face and he followed his vision to spot the Whomping Willow in the distance, several of its branches now in slings.

Professor Sprout was a squat little witch who wore a patched hat over her flyaway hair; there was usually a large amount of earth on her clothes and her fingernails.  
Gilderoy Lockhart, however, was immaculate in sweeping robes of turquoise, his golden hair shining under a perfectly positioned turquoise hat with gold trimming.

"Oh, hello there!" he called, beaming around at the assembled students.

"Just been showing Professor Sprout the right way to doctor a Whomping Willow! But I don't want you running away with the idea that I'm better at Herbology than she is! I just happen to have met several of these exotic plants on my travels..."

"Sure Professor Point-break." Naruto said aloud, every boy laughed, some girls followed while others gave him a dirty look, Even Professor Sprout smirked.

"Greenhouse three today, chaps!" said Professor Sprout, some cheeriness in her voice.

Naruto was following everybody into the greenhouse, entering last as he usually did when a hand shot past him to grab Harry.

"Harry! I've been wanting a word - you don't mind if he's a couple of minutes late, do you, Professor Sprout?"- Lockhart said,

Judging by Professor Sprout's scowl, she did mind, but Lockhart said, "That's the ticket," and closed the greenhouse door in her face.

Sometime later, Harry also joined the class as Professor Sprout taught about Mandrake.

Naruto always wanted to have Mandrakes but they were trickier to grow than some other plants so he skipped past them knowing he will study about them in class and after a successful study lesson in Herbology.

Naruto moved to transfiguration where he turned a beetle into a button, without a word, something that escaped everyone in the class except McGonagall who was surprised at this level of control.

'He must be practising regularly' she thought.  
After class, Naruto not feeling hungry parted ways from his friends and left to go out to the ground.

He finally made it out and found himself a quiet place near some trees.

He sat down on the ground leaning against one of the trees and took out the silver pocket watch he got from Mrs. Flamel.

As he saw the time, he calculatef that he had an hour before he had to head back to class.

So, He took out his Walkman, the book Snape gave him and started reading, after sometime Naruto was interrupted by a figure blocking the sun.  
He looked up to see Betty, she was carrying a huge bag on her back while also holding two very big books in her hands.

"Avoiding something?" She asked him.

"Trying to hard to be the next Hermione?" Naruto asked.

They chuckled as Naruto moved aside so that Betty could drop her bag to the side and sit next to him.

"I have been physically alone most of my life but lately I have been feeling more alone than I have in a long time, and my only fear in this world is to be surrounded by people but being alone, and I feel like I am on a path to that reality. Only a couple of things keeping me sane." He told her.

"My mother is a little too 'much' and I have a older sister by 9 years, she is muggle like my parents and even though my mother is equally proud in both of is our respective paths, she hates this other family and when my sister started dating this family's son, she lost it, started going ballistic on my sister, like you are now, my sister was held sane only by me and her boyfriend but then for some reason he broke up with her and she..." Betty was choking up.

"And she ran away, it broke my parents up, so as soon as we found her, we moved to England. I know it was also my parents fault but I have to as perfect as I can be to make them happy." Betty finished.

"I have been friends with Moronic trio and Delphini for over a year and I have not told them this, do you have some special ability." Naruto said with a chuckle.

"Damaged people often fell the most comfortable together." Betty said.

"Very wise words coming from a 11 year old." Naruto said.

They both chuckled as there was a comfortable silence between them, it was finally broken by a bell that indicated that Lunch time was over and it was time to head back to class.

Naruto collected himself up, then helped Betty up.

"I might have a solution for your weight problem but for now you might want to head to class."  
Naruto told her as he watched her leave for class.

"You eavesdropping now?"  
Naruto said while looking back at trees and out of the trees strolled out Dumbledore, with a smile on his face.

"I wasn't going to stop and listen but then you started to spill your heart out and I was just intrigued."  
Dumbledore said as he started walking towards the castle, Naruto following closely behind.

"Shouldn't you hurry for your defence against the dark arts lesson." He added.

"Don't get me wrong but I have no idea what Professor Gilderoy is, I mean, I have not heard his name ever before and then suddenly when I did be has already published so many books. Have you read his books, they are more about him than about magic, what are we supposed to learn from him?" Naruto answered.

"There is always something you can learn from everyone, you just have to be calm enough to know what."  
Dumbledore answered as he turned around a corner to leave Naruto alone.

Naruto quickly reached the class just in time to see the whole class calming down.

When the whole class was seated, Lockhart cleared his throat loudly and silence fell.  
He reached forward, picked up Neville Longbottom's copy of Travels with Trolls, and held it up to show his own, winking portrait on the front.

"Me," he said, pointing at his potrait and winking as well.

"Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award - but I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her!"

He waited for them to laugh; a few people smiled weakly.

"I see you've all bought a complete set of my books -well done. I thought we'd start today with a little quiz. Nothing to worry about just to check how well you've read them, how much you've taken in -"

When he had handed out the test papers he returned to the front of the class and said,

"You have thirty minutes - start - now!"

Naruto looked down at his paper and read:

1\. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favorite color?

2\. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition?

3\. What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date?

On and on it went, over three sides of paper, right down to:

54\. When is Gilderoy Lockhart's birthday, and what would his ideal gift be?

"Torture would be less painful." Naruto muttered to himself.

He did not do the quiz, for self respect related purposes and instead blanked out.

He went into deep thoughts about what Dumbledore said and the next thing he remembered was students shouting.

He looked ahead to see what was going on to see Cornish pixies flying around destroying things. Neville was being held up high in air by ears, Naruto saw a couple of pixies flying toward him not wanting to get bitten by the little bitches. He acted quickly and took out his wand and shouted.

"Immobulus!"

Every pixie stopped in air, he twisted his wand in a circular motion and pointed towards the cage they escaped from.

Every pixie flew back into the cage and the cage locked itself. Just as he did this bell rung.

"Well done." Lockhart said, as he looked out the window looking for his wand,

"Ten points to Gryffindor, for this. So see you all next time." With that he ran into his office.


	27. Book 2 Chapter 7 : The Chamber of Secrets

"Can you believe him?" roared Ron as he nursed a spot on his ear where he was bitten by a pixie.

"He just wanted to give us some hands on experience," said Hermione.

"Hands on?" said Harry, as he got himself settled after the pandemonium.

"Hermione, he didn't have a clue what he was doing -"

"Rubbish," said Hermione.  
"You've read his books - look at all those amazing things he's done -"

"He says he's done," Ron muttered.

"He is crazier than a serial killer on bath salts, but he might have something to teach us." Naruto remarked.

"And what is that?" Ron asked.

"Still working on that." Naruto replied honestly.

After that, Naruto spend the next days trying to track Delphini even though she said they would talk, she had not contacted him or even talked to him after the day at Flourish and Blotts.

Each time they were even close to talking, she would run another way.

Naruto was running around the school one Saturday morning with his Walkman on when he was suddenly intercepted by none other than Oliver Wood, Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

"What in the name of...?" Naruto said, in his startled state.

"Practising for Quidditch season, are we?" Oliver asked, excitement evident in his voice.

"Sure." Naruto answered as he took his headphones off.

"Very good! Now get ready and meet at quidditch pitch ASAP."  
Oliver said and then he left.

Later Naruto got dressed and met up with his team at the gate and was now heading towards the Quidditch pitch with other listening to Oliver speak.

"I spent the summer devising a whole new Quidditch program. We're gonna train earlier, harder and longer. What...? I don't believe it."  
Oliver said as he spotted the Slytherin team also going to the pitch.

"Where you think you're going, Flint?" He Asked the Slytherin captain.

"Quidditch practice." Flint answered.

"I booked the pitch for Gryffindor today." Oliver interjected.

"Easy, Wood. I've got a note." Flint said handing a scroll of paper to Oliver. Oliver uncurled the scroll and read the note aloud,

"I, Professor Severus Snape, do hereby give the Slytherin team...permission to practice today, owing to the need to train their new Seeker."

"You've got a new Seeker. Who?" Oliver asked.  
The Slytherin team parted to show a little figure walk out from behind them, a small but recognisable figure.

"Malfoy?" Harry said, as everybody from Gryffindor chuckled.

"That's right. And that's not all that's new this year." Malfoy said as he moved his broom around to bring others attention to it,

"Those are Nimbus 2001' did you get those?" Ron exclaimed.

He and Hermione had came to this group when things started to get hot.

"A gift from Draco's father. You see, Weasley, unlike some, my father can afford the best." Malfoy said smugly to Ron.

"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in. They got in on pure talent." Hermione shot back.

"No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood." Malfoy said,

Everyone with a Wizarding background immediately recoiled.

"You'll pay for that one, Malfoy. Eat slugs!"  
Ron waved his wand at Malfoy to curse him but it backfired.

He cursed himself instead of Malfoy and flew back, others ran to Ron's side but Naruto did not.

Naruto was a man who always minded his own business and was very peaceful but at the end of the day only thing that mattered to him were the people he loved.

Anyone who hurt them got his wrath. So, with whatever primal rage Naruto could muster.  
He punched Draco straight in the gut.

With enough strength that Draco was lifted off the ground and thrown back into his team.  
Draco was knocked out cold while the others who he collided with fell down along with him.

Naruto looked down at them all for a second and then moved to help Ron.

Everyone cleared out as Naruto ran to Hagrid's to see Ron.

When he arrived at Hagrid's, it was to a sight of Hagrid explaining what a 'mugblood' is to the trio.

"This blood thing that families like Malfoy's are stuck to, is the reason wizarding world in not at peace and as long as there's this form of discrimination, there never will be."  
Naruto said as he walked in and leaned on the door frame.

"That's right." Hagrid agreed.

"Anyways I have to go to Snape's office to get my punishment." Naruto said as he patted Ron's shoulder.

"Punishment?" Harry and Hermione asked.

"Yeah, I kind of put Draco in the hospital, so I will be called in anytime, might as well head there right now." Naruto said casually.

"What, why?" Hermione exclaimed.

"Nobody disrespects my friends, and I always wanted to do it, so I'll see you guys later, I hope." Naruto answered as he left.

Naruto almost reached the dungeons when an elf exited Snape's office.

As soon as he spotted Naruto, he was about to say something to Naruto but Naruto stopped him.

"I know, see ya." Naruto said as he knocked on Snape's office.

He heard a sharp 'enter' after which he entered to see Snape sitting on his desk with Lucius, who was red as a tomato standing in front of Snape's desk.

"You attacked my son!" Lucius shouted.

"Yes, I did." Naruto replied calmly.

"You admit it! Now the only thing left is to get you expelled!"  
Lucius said as reached to grab Naruto's collar. Snape instinctively knew that it was a bad idea for some reason, so he was about to protest but it was too late.

Naruto grabbed Lucius hand in a iron grip and as soon as he did, the robes where he held the older man's arm started to smoke.

Lucius feeling the heat tried to retract his hand but couldn't move an inch out of Naruto's grip.

"Your son called my friend a mudblood, it was my decency that I only knocked him out, but you,"  
Naruto was not even looking at Lucius till this point, he was staring at the ground but it was now that he looked up, straight into Lucius eye, to Lucius all he saw were red slit eyes.

"You are not a strong enough of a snake to threaten me."  
He let go of Lucius arm, his robes burned in Naruto's grip pattern, his hands red, not burned but bruised.

"Is there something more, Professor?" Naruto asked Snape.

As for Snape, As soon as he had heard the word Mudblood, he went into some form of emotional spiral but seeing how Naruto stood up for Hermione.

He knew that he could not Punish Naruto like Lucius wanted, so he only did the pretend punishment.

"60 points from Gryffindor, you will serve detention for a week, today clean the potion class after dinner, now leave Naruto and never repeat this behaviour." Snape answered.

"Yes sir." Naruto replied as he left the office, Lucius still stunned from the eyes he saw.

Later, he heard that Ron and Harry also had to serve their detention tonight.

While at the dinner table news of Naruto losing points and why he did made rounds.

Even though Naruto's action had cost the house points nobody was upset at him, some for standing up for Hermione others for punching Draco.  
So, Naruto finished his dinner fast and headed down to the dungeons to serve his detention.

After detention Naruto was returning to Gryffindor tower from one end, the rest of the school was coming from the great hall, from other directions, they all came to meet in the corridor.

It was than that Naruto spotted something extremely peculiar, a cat hanging from a torch bracket upside down, eyes open and blank now if it were a ordinary cat.

Naruto would have chalked it upto some kids random act of cruelty but this cat was a well known one, it was Mrs. Norris, Flinch's cat.  
Second, something smelled different, actually smelled different to him. Almost like a sewer. He looked around and read the words on the wall aloud,

"THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED, ENEMIES OF THE HEIR- BEWARE."

Every Slytherin looked at Naruto, some out of fear and others out of hate as he had just put Draco in the hospital. Everyone's attention turned to the new voice,

"What's going on here? Go on now! Make way," It was Filch.

He stopped dead in his tracks as he spotted the moronic trio standing below his cat.

"Mrs. Norris!" He said, then pointing to Harry he continued,  
"You! You've murdered my cat! I'll kill you!"

He grabbed hold of Harry's collar but before he could continue, a booming voice stopped him.

"Argus!"  
It was Dumbledore, followed closely behind by other teachers as soon as they saw what was on the wall, Dumbledore's face darkened, he immediately went into action,

"Everyone will proceed to their dormitories, immediately."  
Everyone instantly started moving, even Naruto he halted when he heard.

"Except you three," pointing to Harry, Ron and Hermione.  
"and-"

He let it linger while giving Naruto a look, Naruto understood instantly, 'I know you have some input, i want to know what it is?'  
So, Naruto stopped as well. Both Gilderoy and Naruto moved near the cat, Gilderoy instantly said,

"It was definitely a curse that killed her- probably transmogrifian torture. Encountered it myself once, In Ouagadougou."

Before he could blabber more, Naruto interrupted him as he had waved his hand over the cat's body and saw something that was hidden to all except him, Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape.

A blue hologram like thing of Mrs. Norris appeared above her. He turned around and said.

"She is not dead."  
Every single teacher tried their hardest not to smile in this situation.

"Petrified I suppose?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yeah, pretty strong one as well."  
Naruto said, while turning to Filch,

"May I?" asking Filch if he could move her. Filch nodded,

As Naruto pulled Mrs. Norris down, Gilderoy tried to save his face by saying,

"Precisely! So unlucky I wasn't there. I know the very countercurse."  
But once again it failed.

"Look at her eyes, she was afraid, primal fear. It was a magical creature." Naruto told Dumbledore.

"Any in particular?" Professor McGonagall said, impressed at how Naruto had deduced all this within seconds.

"Off the top of my head ten." Naruto said,

"But?" Snape asked.

"None that could travel in here without getting noticed." Naruto replied,  
All teachers could make out that there was some fear in his voice, fear of unknown, as well as fear in what was written on the wall indicating that this was just the beginning.

"My cat has been petrified! I want to see some punishment!" Filch said.

"We will be able to cure her, Argus. As I understand it, Madam Sprout has a very healthy growth of Mandrakes. When they have matured, a potion will be made which will revive Mrs. Norris. In the meantime, I advise caution. To all."  
Dumbledore told Filch.

As the four of them headed back to their dormitory. It was Hermione that spoke first.

"Harry, This voice, You said you heard it first in Lockhart's office?"

"Wait, you heard some voice? What did it say? and How?" Naruto asked.

"At first it was calling someone, then it said it smelled blood, finally it mentioned killing someone." Harry answered back.

"And did 'chuckles' hear it?" Naruto asked using another one of his names for Gilderoy.

"He said he didn't." Harry replied.

"Maybe he was lying." Ron said,

"I hardly think someone with Gilderoy Lockhart's credentials would lie to one of his students, Ronald. Besides, if you recall, we didn't hear anything either."  
Hermione mentioned, pointing to Naruto specifically.

"There has to be some reason for why only you could hear it?" Naruto said.

"Like what?" Harry asked.

"I don't know mate, I don't know everything." Naruto said.

"But You have an inkling?" Hermione asked.

"I always have an inkling," He raised his hand to stop the three to stop them from asking what he thought,  
"but don't want to think on it without anything else. For all we know, some dumbass seventh years got drunk on 'potions' and thought it'd be fun to do what they did and you just happened to hallucinate because of low blood sugar." Naruto finished.

"That kind of makes sense, It might be a prank, Mrs. Norris and Filch are often target of pranks, after all you did colour Mrs. Norris pink last year." Hermione said pointing to Naruto.

Naruto went wide eyed and shushed Hermione.

"Why don't you hang a banner for that one! I barely survived the prank for enchanting a broom after them! They find out I was behind 'Pink Panther' incident and I'll be scrubing toilet seats!" Naruto told her is a hushed whisper.

"Or it could be something else, you said it yourself, some monster attacked Mrs. Norris." Ron said.

"We can't be sure about everything now can we?"

"You all do believe me, don't you?" Harry asked the group.

"Course we do. It's just - it's a bit weird, isn't it? You hear this voice and then - Mrs. Norris turns up Petrified." Hermione said.

"Not as snotty as her but yeah that is a bit too much of a coincidence." Naruto said.

"D'you think I should've told them - Dumbledore and the others, I mean." Harry asked the others.

"Are you mad!" Ron instantly replied.

"Hell nah!" Naruto a millisecond behind Harry's bestfriend.1

"No, Harry. Even in the wizarding world, hearing voices isn't a good sign."  
Hermione said as she picked up the pace and went straight up.

"She's right, you know." Naruto and a portrait on a wall said at the time.

Naruto turned to the man in the potrait and both of them smirked at each other.

"Nice." Naruto said at the Portrait with a smirk and the portrait returned it and the group continued and went back to the Dormitories.


	28. Book 2 Chapter 8: Old Friend

The next few days the only thing the school could talk about was happened with Mrs Norris.

At the same time over this period Naruto was also able to catch up on a lot of research and training but over this period he also noticed a number of odd things.

Like once when he had fallen asleep on the couch in the common room and he was woken up because of a argument between Betty and Ginny.

It was about how Ginny was missing a lot of time and how she was acting weird but that discussion was interrupted by McGonagall coming to the room mostly to tell Naruto to move; as a portrait must have told her he fell asleep studying in the hall.

At the moment, Naruto was heading to the history class when he was ambushed by the moronic trio as he liked to call them.

"So, did you finish your three foot long paper on 'The Medieval Assembly of European Wizards'?" Ron asked him,

"Hello to you too."  
Then he took out a roll of paper from his bag and waved it in front of Ron.

"And yes, the very day we got it, three foot not a millimetre more or less." He said.

"I want to ask you something." Hermione said,

Naruto stopped in his tracks and raised an eyebrow at Hermione.  
"That's a first." He said,

"So what it is?" He added as he started to walk as well.

"Do you know anything about the Chamber of Secrets?" She asked, as soon as she did, the other two also fell silent.

"I knew you three would come to me with this question sooner or later, I don't know everything but I have a fair idea." Naruto truthfully answered.

"Whatever you know will help." Harry said.

"Help with what? You three morons going to fight 'the darkness' that drained the colour from McGonagall' face?" Naruto asked them.

"I just need to know." Harry said.

"Like you wanted to 'know' about what's beyond the trap door. That turned out so well, didn't it?" Naruto once again remarked and the three looked down in shame.

"Well, I'm not a saint so I'll tell you three but don't anything stupid without telling me."

"Yes, definitely!"  
The three could not have agreed faster.

"From what I know, the Chamber of Secrets is supposed to be a dungeon or cave or basically a structure that Salazar Slytherin left behind after his little battle with Godric and that's about all that I know of it.

Naruto told them truthfully.

"Is that all? What's inside it? How does one open it? Where is it?" Ron asked.

"Look man, that's about all I know."

"We can ask Binns if he knows more!" Hermione suggested.

"Do it if you want to, I don't know how he'll take it but all the best." Naruto said as he entered the class before other.

History of Magic was the dullest subject on their schedule.  
Professor Binns, who taught it, was their only ghost teacher, and the most exciting thing that ever happened in his classes was his entering the room through the blackboard.

Ancient and shriveled, many people said he hadn't noticed he was dead. He had simply got up to teach one day and left his body behind him in an armchair in front of the staff room fire; his routine had not varied in the slightest since.

Today was as boring as ever. Professor Binns opened his notes and began to read in a flat drone like an old vacuum cleaner until nearly everyone in the class was in a deep stupor, occasionally coming to long enough to copy down a name or date, then falling asleep again.

He had been speaking for half an hour when something happened that had never happened before. Hermione put up her hand.

Professor Binns, glancing up in the middle of a deadly dull lecture on the International Warlock Convention of 1289, looked amazed.

"Miss - er -?"

"Granger, Professor. I was wondering if you could tell us anything about the Chamber of Secrets," said Hermione in a clear voice.

Dean Thomas, who had been sitting with his mouth hanging open, gazing out of the window, jerked out of his trance; Lavender Brown's head came up off her arms; Neville Longbottom's elbow slipped off his desk and Naruto who always used this class as a midday nap time went wide eyed and awake in this class for once.

Professor Binns blinked.

"My subject is History of Magic," he said in his dry, wheezy voice. "I deal with facts, Miss Granger, not myths and legends."

He cleared his throat with a small noise and continued,

"In September of that year, a subcommittee of Sardinian sorcerers.."

He stuttered to a halt. Hermione's hand was waving in the air again.

"Miss Grant?"

"Please, sir, don't legends always have a basis in fact?"

Professor Binns was looking at her in such amazement,

"Well," said Professor Binns slowly, "yes, one could argue that, I suppose." He peered at Hermione as though he had never seen a student properly before.

"However, the legend of which you speak is such a very sensational, even ludicrous tale -"

But the whole class was now hanging on Professor Binns's every word. He looked dimly at them all, every face turned to his.

He was completely thrown by such an unusual show of interest.

"Oh, very well," he said slowly. "Let me see ... the Chamber of Secrets ..." He started.

"You all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago - the precise date is uncertain - by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age. The four school Houses are named after them: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. They built this castle together, far from prying Muggle eyes, for it was an age when magic was feared by common people, and witches and wizards suffered much persecution."

"Witch trials." Naruto said as Binn nodded.

Then paused, gazed blearily around the room, and continued.

"For a few years, the founders worked in harmony together, seeking out youngsters who showed signs of magic and bringing them to the castle to be educated. But then disagreements sprang up between them. A rift began to grow between Slytherin and the others. Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed that magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. He disliked taking students of Muggle parentage, believing them to be untrustworthy. After a while, there was a serious argument on the subject between Slytherin and Gryffindor, and Slytherin left the school."

Professor Binns paused again, pursing his lips, looking like a wrinkled old tortoise.

"Reliable historical sources tell us this much," he said.

"But these honest facts have been obscured by the fanciful legend of the Chamber of Secrets. The story goes that Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in the castle, of which the other founders knew nothing. Slytherin, according to the legend, sealed the Chamber of Secrets so that none would be able to open it until his own true heir arrived at the school. The heir alone would be able to unseal the Chamber of Secrets, unleash the horror within, and use it to purge the school of all who were unworthy to study magic."

There was silence as he finished telling the story, but it wasn't the usual, sleepy silence that filled Professor Binns's classes.  
There was unease in the air as everyone continued to watch him, hoping for more. Professor Binns looked faintly annoyed.

"The whole thing is arrant nonsense, of course," he said.  
"Naturally, the school has been searched for evidence of such a chamber, many times, by the most learned witches and wizards. It does not exist. A tale told to frighten the gullible."

Hermione's hand was back in the air.

"Sir - what exactly do you mean by the 'horror within' the Chamber?"

"That is believed to be some sort of monster, which the Heir of Slytherin alone can control," said Professor Binns in his dry, reedy voice.

The class exchanged nervous looks but Hermione turned around to look back at Naruto who got the meaning behind the look,  
'You were right.'

"I tell you, the thing does not exist," said Professor Binns, shuffling his notes. "There is no Chamber and no monster."

Soon the class was over.  
Naruto was stepping out after the trio and Hermione might have wanted to discuss something with him but a green fire ball flew straight towards him.

He caught it as soon as it was within arms reach, as soon as he did it turned into a letter.

"Will-o-wasp spell!" Ron exclaimed.

"I have heard of it, did one of teachers send this to you?" Hermione asked,while trying to peak a view.

"No." Naruto said as he looked at the letter.

Meet me at wooden bridge come alone.  
\- Delphini.

"It's one of my major problems this year."

Naruto said, as he stuffed the letter in his bag and started leaving but before he left, he turned to Hermione.

"Stay back at the common room, we'll talk about the chamber then."

Hermione nodded as Naruto left the three to go to the meeting place.

At the meeting place,

"I didn't take you as the one with theatrics." Naruto said as soon as white hair came to his view.

"You wouldn't stop trying to reach me, clearly not getting the hint so I thought a meeting would be better to settle things." Delphini said, leaning on the bridge.

"So, This has nothing to do with the fact, that Draco is steering clear of me and not spying on us anymore."  
Naruto said as he moved next to her leaning on the bridge as well.

"If I had known my path last year, I wouldn't have started a friendship with you. I am truly sorry. Please don't contact me anymore." Delphini said as she started to leave.

"And what path is that? Is it something so bad that you can't be friends? You know everyone needs someone they can trust without that no one is successful."  
Naruto told her before she move much further from him. She halted in her tracks and turned to him.

"It's dangerous." Delphini said, but was interrupted once again.

"I don't want to pull houses here but I'm a Gryffindor, I only get intrigued by Danger."

"I don't know how to." Delphini said not meeting his eye.

"Just do, trust me, tell me your path, if I won't understand the first time, explain it to me again and again, because I know you are not one to give up. I sure ain't" Naruto told her firmly.

Sadness was evident on her face.

"You will hate for it, my family's crime are my burdens to bear."  
Delphini was muttering. Standing still while finally looking up to meet his eyes.

"I don't judge people by the works of their family." Naruto said, warmth in his voice.

"You cannot tell anyone." Delphini told him, trying her hardest to not cry.

"I won't. I promise and I don't break my promises." Naruto told her, as he moved closer to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Then not here, not today, but soon. I cannot thank you enough Naruto."  
Delphin said as she hugged Naruto.

He hugged her back and then watched her leave.  
As soon as she was out of sight, air above Naruto's head distorted and then white fire erupted out which Chibi Kurama formed and dropped on his head.

"Did you sense it?" Naruto asked Kurama.

"Yes, you were right, she is also a beast holder, like you."

Naruto nodded to himself, then looked at the valley down below, a solemn look on his face, finally he said,

"That cannot be good."

"It isn't. If there are two beast holder so close to each other, there will always be a fight between them. So what are you going to do?"

"For now, nothing but make sure we are strong enough to face anything. We have to up our training Kurama."  
Naruto said as he gave Kurama a look. She looked into his eyes and caught white flames and disappeared once again,

"We might be destined to fight each other Delphini but I will save you." Naruto said to himself as he turned around and left.


	29. Book 2 Chapter 9: Potions and Quidditch

Naruto went directly to the library after the conversation because he wanted to know more about the Chamber of Secrets and for that he had to get info about the next best thing.

So, he went to get any and all book on Salazar Slytherin.

However as it had turned out he was denied by Madam Pince because all books on the subject were in the restricted section and he needed permission to enter it.

He would normally go directly to Dumbledore for suggestions but this had nothing to do with his primary research and might also be bad, that's why he needed to find some other way to do it and by the time he got back to common room it was pretty late.

He was not surprised to find Harry, Ron and Hermione sitting by the fireplace.

"So, what did I miss?" Naruto asked.

"In a nutshell, we need to get into the restricted section of the Library." Hermione told him.

"Really!" Naruto exclaimed. "So do I!" He added.

"Yeah?! But we need a teacher's permission to do so." Harry said,

"Exactly but there is no teacher dumb enough to –"  
Hermione was saying but suddenly Ron and Naruto looked at each other, same thought in their mind.

"We can think of someone." Both said at the same time with a grin on their faces.

The next few days went without much happening, no attacks took place, and as for Naruto and Delphini, she was once again talking and hanging out with him.  
They had decided that they would talk about the 'path' when Delphini felt the safest and even Draco got his bravado back.

The course was going on without any hunch, apart from Defence against the Dark Arts.

Whose lessons seemed to be getting foolish with each passing day, each lesson Gilderoy would act out scenes from his books with Harry, now, while Harry looked annoyed most of the time.

Today, He was trying his hardest to make sure Gilderoy was in a good mood, while at the same time Naruto was also acting like he didn't know anything about werewolves.

Simply because there was no secret that both Gilderoy and Naruto hated each other.

If Gilderoy and Naruto were in the same room, Naruto would always pick out each tiny detail of what Gilderoy said, while Gilderoy tried his hardest to ignore Naruto's existence.

Due to this Naruto was loved by the teachers and boys of the school.

While most girls in the school hated Naruto with a passion but not today, today results were way to important for Naruto to say anything or to move even a muscle for that matter.

As soon as the class was over Naruto ran straight out of the class, almost like someone who's been ignoring Nature's calls for too long.

He however didn't move away but waited outside for Harry, Ron and Hermione.  
"I don't believe it," Harry said as the four of them reunited outside class and examined the signature on the note.

"He didn't even look at the books we wanted."

"That's because he's a brainless git," said Ron. "But who cares, we've got what we needed -"

"He is not a brainless git," said Hermione shrilly as they half ran toward the library.

"Just because he said you were the best student of the year -" Ron said,

"Probably because of his dislike of Naruto." Harry added.

"Let's just be grateful he had his usefulness, finally." Naruto said as he followed them into the library.  
They were however interrupted by Betty.

"Hey, Betty!" Hermione almost shouted.

"Hey, Hermione, I am glad I ran into you, we need some help with something," Betty said straight away.

Hermione seemed to be divided but it was then that Naruto came to her rescue.

"Anything I can help with?" He asked.

"It- It's related to Transfiguration – Yes! Transfiguration assignment we were given today, we have some doubts." She said while stammering at the beginning but the four didn't pay much mind to that.

"Then he can definitely help, he is the best in transfiguration in our year." Ron said.

"Yeah but Naruto what about your book?" Hermione asked in a hushed whisper.

"I'll take it from you afterwards? where will you guys be?" Naruto asked.

Ron and Harry were pondering, when Hermione said,

"Moaning Myrtle's out-of-order bathroom."

"Oh come on! I've told you how much she hates me and freaks me out! I don't wanna go there." Naruto said with a shiver going through his spine.  
All others gave him a collective look of disbelief, this was the same guy who was pranking buddies with Peeves.  
Naruto seemed to have read there thought as he said.

"I love messing with others as much as Peeves does, I'm sorry if I don't have a lot in common with a bathroom lurker." Naruto told them. He didn't wait for anyone to reply and said.

"Let's go Betty, see what's troubling you."  
They separated from the three and Naruto followed Betty to her table. There were two more girls on the table.

First one he knew, Ginny Weasley, but the other girl he did not.

She was a Ravenclaw student, at first glance Naruto knew that she was very different.

Since she had straggly, waist-length, dirty blonde hair, very pale eyebrows and protuberant eyes, which gave her a surprised look. She had a butterbeer cork necklace and dirigible plum earrings.

Naruto couldn't help himself but like the girl instantly. Yes, He was into weird stuff.

"I like you already! I believe we don't know eachother, I am Naruto." He extended his hand to the blonde.

"I am Luna Lovegood and I know you, Betty always talks about you." Luna said.

"Really?" Naruto gave a foxy grin.

"Luna!" Betty exclaimed while grabbing Luna's robes and tugging it.

Naruto just sat down opposite to them, and asked.

"So, what can I help you with?" He asked.

Ginny, Luna and Betty had a silent eye conversation and finally Betty turned the parchment to him. He read the questions on them and nodded to himself, then looked up.

"Alright, So what you have to do for the first 3 questions is to read the first 5 chapters from, A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emetic Switch and then for the rest you will find the answers in the notes Professor McGonagall must have given, just write them in your own words." He answered.

"You remember all this from last year?" Ginny asked.

"Yes and no, I love transfiguration and Professor McGonagall is a very good teacher and this was not the assignment last year. We had to work on something completely different. So anything else?" He asked.

"No, that's it for now, thanks Naruto." Ginny said.

"Alright, see you around."  
He said as he left, he then made a beeline to Moaning Myrtle's out-of- order bathroom, as he was at the entrance he heard.

"A month?" said Ron.

"Malfoy could have attacked half the Muggle borns in the school by then!" But Hermione's eyes narrowed dangerously again and he added swiftly.

"But it's the best plan we've got, so full steam ahead, I say."

It was just then that Naruto entered,he had no idea what they were talking about so he entered just to get his book, but couldn't help but notice the book in Hermione's hand.

"Moste Potente Potions?" Naruto exclaimed, "what the hell are you guys planning?"

His tone was extremely serious, even though he was their peer they knew he had a little more wisdom then them.

So, they spilled. It was 15 minutes later when he got the entire story.

"Oh my god!"  
Naruto said as he had his face covered by his palms.

"I cannot believe I am saying this but this seems like a good idea."

"See." Hermione,  
"What?" Harry said at the same time.

"Yeah, this way we can cover all our bases but there are somethings that need to change, first you don't have to steal anything, I have everything you guys will need." Naruto told them.

"How?" Hermione asked.

"Story for another time, and you won't be needing toenails, hair will do but Hermione are you sure you want to brew it? I can do it for you." Naruto answered.

"You know how to?" Harry asked.

"How?" Hermione asked.

"My guardian is a master witch, when I was young I used to test all sorts of things with her, it was then that she thought me how to do all sorts things to survive and fight." Naruto lied.

"No, I can make it myself, we will need a safe place. Which will here and because you cannot frequently visit here without raising alarm." Hermione answered.

"You got that right." Naruto said as he looked around.

"Where is she?" He asked while peaking inside one of the stalls.

"She left when I asked who she was." Ron said as he saw Naruto trying to find the girl.

"Alright then let's quit while she is not here."

* * *

It was night time and Naruto was inside his briefcase sitting on his desk.  
He had been polishing and tending his broom. Now he was looking at the broom while deep in thought.

"Nervous?" Kurama asked him.

"Yeah, tomorrow we have to play against a team that is faster than us, while there is a creature who can petrify anyone on some sociopaths whims. At the same time I am deadlocked in a battle against one of my friends and I have not heard from Irene since the start of this school year. So, yeah nervous is one of things I'm feeling."

"At least this year, there are no creatures you have to look after." She tried to lift his mood.

"That actually calmed me down."

"You will find a way, I know you will."

Naruto chuckled, then looked at Kurama and said.

"You are my saving grace Kurama."

Then he went up to go to sleep.

* * *

The next morning, he got up early for a slow morning routine, picked up his gear and made his way to the pitch.

There he met up with his team in the locker room and then sat down to listen to Wood's usual pre-match pep talk.

"Slytherin has better brooms than us," he began.

"No point denying it but we've got better people on our brooms. We've trained harder than they have, we've been flying in all weathers -"

"Too true," muttered George Weasley.  
"I haven't been properly dry since August" He added.

"And we're going to make them regret the day they let that little bit of slime, Malfoy, buy his way onto their team."

Chest heaving with emotion, Wood turned to Harry.

"It'll be down to you, Harry, to show them that a Seeker has to have something more than a rich father. Get to that Snitch before Malfoy or die trying, Harry, because we've got to win today, we've got to."

"So no pressure, Harry" said Fred, winking at him.

"We are in for a hell of a match, but we are going to chew those snakes alive." Naruto said.

They all roared in support and walked out.

Everyone from every house apart from Slytherin roaring and waving for Gryffindor.  
Harry and Wood first.

Then the Weasley twins.

Followed by Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinner then finally Naruto.  
Even though the pressure was on Harry for the match.

Naruto had came up with a plan that was, while Angelina and Alicia played offensive, Naruto would act defensive and he was trying;

Normally people flying at high speeds would slow down for aggressive movements like turning and rotation to prevent vertigo attacks but Naruto did not.  
He was taking sharp turns, conducting barrel rolls and many other maneuvers that would normally send people tumbling down, using his shorter height but stronger body to it's peak.

He was so focused that he didn't even notice the rain, he could feel the the strain, but it was paying off, the score was 60-30 in Slytherin's favour which was a surprise because if it wasn't for him the difference would be much greater that 2 times and Naruto alone had stopped 8 tries at the Goals.

It was very suddenly that a time-out was called and he stopped. As soon as he landed with his fellow chasers, he stretched his shoulder and it crackled loudly, so much that both Angelina and Alicia got worried.

"You alright?" Alicia asked.

"Yeah." Naruto answered, while Angelina beats his shoulder to relieve some tension, finally the entire team landed near them and Naruto muttered a quiet 'thanks' to her.

"What's going on?" asked Wood as the Gryffindor team huddled together, while Slytherins in the crowd jeered.  
"We're being flattened. Fred, George, where were you when that Bludger stopped Angelina scoring?"

"We were twenty feet above her, stopping the other Bludger from murdering Harry, Oliver," said George angrily.

"Someone's fixed it - it won't leave Harry alone. It hasn't gone for anyone else all game. The Slytherins must have done something to it."

"But the Bludgers have been locked in Madam Hooch's office since our last practice, and there was nothing wrong with them then…" said Wood, anxiously.

Madam Hooch was walking toward them. Over her shoulder, Harry saw the Slytherin team jeering and pointing in his direction.

"Listen," said Harry as she came nearer and nearer, "with you two flying around me all the time the only way I'm going to catch the Snitch is if it flies up my sleeve. Go back to the rest of the team and let me deal with the rogue one."

"Don't be thick," said Fred. "It'll take your head off." Wood was looking from Harry to the Weasleys.

"Oliver, this is insane," said Alicia Spinner angrily. "You can't let Harry deal with that thing on his own. Naruto is already dying trying to defend as much goals as he can! He hasn't tried scoring once. Let's just ask for an inquiry."

"If we stop now, we'll have to forfeit the match!" said Harry.  
"And we're not losing to Slytherin just because of a crazy Bludger! Come on, Oliver, tell them to leave me alone!"

"This is all your fault," George said angrily to Wood. " 'Get the Snitch or die trying,' what a stupid thing to tell him -"

Madam Hooch had joined them.

"Ready to resume play?" she asked Wood.

Wood looked at the determined look on Harry's face.

"All right," he said. "Fred, George, you heard Harry -leave him alone and let him deal with the Bludger on his own."

As everybody was getting ready to restart the game, Naruto told Harry.

"If you can, chase the snitch near the ground, opposite to me. I have an idea."

Harry nodded and they launched themselves.

Naruto was once again flying around stealing, saving and weaving throughout the pitch.

It was finally five minutes later that he heard his name from Harry.

It was his signal and without a hitch he shot up and went higher and higher and then did a 180 in air and decended straight down.

While he was picking up speed he saw Fred in his path just like he wanted and he shouted while holding his hand out.

"Fred!!"

Fred understood immediately and threw the bat to Naruto.

He caught it and didn't slow down. He leveled himself leading to him and Harry heading towards eachother at top speed, bludger directly behind Harry. At last the very last second Naruto screamed.

"Duck!"

Harry moved down his hand extended, lost his balance and flipped but Naruto had other thing to focus on as the bludger was in sight.

Then as soon as the bludger was within striking distance he swung as hard as he could and he hit his mark.

It sounded like a thunderclap, the bat broke from the force of the hit. The swing sent the bludger up and away.

First it hit a Slytherin's chasers broom's front destroying it and then it did continued to hit another Slytherin's chasers broom's back, destroying it as well.  
Finally it hit its real target the Quaffle, it carried the Quaffle through the lower hoop scoring for Gryffindor.

At the same time, Naruto could no longer hold on anymore and lost his balance and dismounted falling on the ground and trashed on the ground like a ragdoll some distance. His broom a few feet away from him.

The moment his senses returned to was when heared the announcement about them winning the match, soon the Weasley twins landed next to him, looking over to see if he was awake.

"I'm alive." Naruto joked.

"That was –!" he heard Angelina's voice from somewhere above his head.

"Awesome!" Both Weasley twin said at the same time, as they came to sit next to him, followed by Angelina and then Alicia.  
While the rest of the school went to Harry's side.

Naruto tried sitting up to see what Gilderoy was doing but suddenly pain shot through his body and he chose to keep lying down.

He did hear something about Harry's broken arm, while a bunch of other students made their way to the five players sitting in the mud.

"What was that?" It was most unexpected voice of McGonagall who had come to the five players.

They all looked at her, so she continued.

"Did you break those two brooms on purpose?" She asked.

"What if I did?" Naruto asked a little afraid.

"Then I have to ask you not to repeat the words again or it will cost you the points you scored last minute with that amazing shot." She replied with a smirk.

They all looked at like she has grown a second head and then all started laughing.

Students made it to them and started congratulating them and patting them.

When a third year tried to pat Naruto's back who had very painfully gotten up Naruto almost fell down again. If it weren't for the twins and McGonagall that stopped his fall.

"That fall was no joke, you should seriously go to the hospital wing." McGonagall told him sternly.

"Yeah, let's go." Angelina said as the entire team followed by some other gryffindors made their way to the Hospital wing.

Naruto was supported on both sides by the Weasley twins.

Along the way they found out that Gilderoy had removed all the bones in Harry's right hand.

They entered soaking wet and muddy into the hall.

Before anyone already present in the Wing could say anything, like the Moronic trio, they saw Naruto supported by the twins who put him on the bed next to Harry as Hermione and Madam Pomfrey made their way to Naruto.

"Are you alright!?" Hermione almost screamed but before Naruto could reply Madam Pomfrey shushed them both as she did a check up on Naruto.

"You have extremely sour muscles but no broken bones. You don't even need to stay here just take the portion I'm going to give you on the hourly bases." She said and didn't wait for the reply and stormed out no doubt to fetch the potion for Naruto.

The rest of the team that entered with all the gifts they were given by others to celebrate the win came and settled around the two beds.

"Unbelievable flying, Harry," said George.

"I've just seen Marcus Flint yelling at Malfoy. Something about having the Snitch on top of his head and not noticing. Malfoy didn't seem too happy." Fred said.

"How are you doing mate?" Ron asked Naruto he sat on the bed nursing his shoulder.

"All things considered, I'm doing alright."

They had also brought cakes, sweets, and bottles of pumpkin juice and were just getting started on what promised to be a good party when Madam Pomfrey came storming over, shouting, "This boy needs rest, he's got thirty-three bones to regrow! Out! OUT!"

As everyone left, she handed Naruto a bottle filled with some blue liquid and a small plastic cup. She served him some of the potion and Naruto drank it in one go.

As soon as he did he wanted to throw up but he held the feeling back as the taste settled in his throat.

Naruto would have said something about the taste but he immediately feeling better, enough for him to get off the bed without any pain.

"Drink the same amount every hour and don't strain yourself for atleast a week."  
"Alright then, see you mate." Naruto said as he tapped Harry on the shoulder and he nodded.

Then Naruto left the wing to head to the showers.


	30. Book 2 Chapter 10: Dueling Club

Later at Dinner, Naruto chuked the last of his medicine before starting dinner.

He was sitting opposite to Hermione, Ginny and Betty with Ron next to him.

"How did that taste?" Ron asked.

"Like I won't be eating dinner." Naruto said as he picked up a chicken wing and ate it in one go. Everyone around started looking at him weird.

"What? I did say 'like'."

Everybody around him laughed, as they started eating and celebrating.  
While on the other side of the spectrum Slytherin's table was silent and like in mourning.

That night Gryffindor celebrated, the lions had chewed the snakes like Naruto said, not knowing the night of victory, brings the morning of reckoning.

Next day was Sunday, Naruto was returning from a casual walk as he was told not to strain himself for a week when he was intercepted by Hermione and Ron.

"Where were you?" Hermione asked.

"Out for a peaceful stroll." Naruto answered truthfully.

Then he saw the sleepy look on Ron's face and quickly understanding why she had woken him up earlier than usual and quickly understanding the hurry in her voice as well.

"Go to the bathroom and set up the apparatus, I will bring the materials straight to you."  
Naruto told her as he ran into the dormitory to get the materials from his inventory.

After 15 minutes they were in the bathroom, potion brewing while they just sat around.

Harry later joined them in the bathroom telling everyone how the chamber has been opened again and now Colin Creevey was lying on a bed in the Hospital wing.

Naruto soon left the three on their own, he needed to see something for himself.

The news that Colin Creevey had been attacked and was now lying as though dead in the hospital wing had spread through the entire school by Monday morning.  
The air was suddenly thick with rumor and suspicion.  
The first years were now moving around the castle in tight-knit groups, as though scared they would be attacked if they ventured forth alone.

Meanwhile, hidden from the teachers, a roaring trade in talismans, amulets, and other protective devices was sweeping the school.  
Neville Longbottom bought a large, evil-smelling green onion, a pointed purple crystal, and a rotting newt tail before the other Gryffindor boys pointed out that he was in no danger; he was a pureblood, and therefore unlikely to be attacked.

In the second week of December Professor McGonagall came around as usual, collecting names of those who would be staying at school for Christmas.  
Harry, Ron, Naruto and Hermione signed their list; they had heard that Malfoys were staying, which struck them as very suspicious but the holidays would be the perfect time to use the Polyjuice Potion and try to worm a confession out of Draco.

While it was a week later, Naruto send a order to his dealer. Yes, he had a dealer.  
He bought a lot of stuff that would not be sold to people his age, so he found one through the guy he had bought the communication box from, this time he also added a bag with undetectable extension charm on it.

He was returning from the owlery when he ran into the trio, they were walking across the entrance hall when they towards the small group of people gathered around the notice board, reading a piece of parchment that had just been pinned up.

Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas beckoned the four, Naruto had joined them just before Seamus spotted them, over; looking excited.

"They're starting a Dueling Club!" said Seamus.  
"First meeting tonight! I wouldn't mind dueling lessons; they might come in handy one of these days –"

"What, you reckon Slytherin's monster can duel?" said Ron, but he, too, read the sign with interest.

"Could be useful," Naruto said as he entered the hall.

The long dining tables had vanished and a golden stage had appeared along one wall, lit by thousands of candles floating overhead.  
The ceiling was velvety black once more and most of the school seemed to be packed beneath it, all carrying their wands and looking excited.

"I wonder who'll be teaching us?" said Hermione as they edged into the chattering crowd.  
"Someone told me Flitwick was a dueling champion when he was young - maybe it'll be him."

"As long as it's not -" Harry began, but he ended on a groan: Naruto who was packing his robes into his bag looked up and released a groan himself.

Gilderoy Lockhart was walking onto the stage, resplendent in robes of deep plum and accompanied by none other than Snape, wearing his usual black.

Lockhart waved an arm for silence and called,  
"Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent!"

"Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little dueling club, to train you all in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions - for full details, see my published works."

"Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape," said Lockhart, flashing a wide smile.

"He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about dueling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry - you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!"

"Wouldn't it be good if they finished each other off?" Ron muttered.

"Snape eats people like Lockhart as appetisers. He will actually destroy 'chuckles'." Naruto said as he placed his bag on the edge of the hall and started rolling up his sleeves.

Lockhart and Snape turned to face each other and bowed; at least, Lockhart did, with much twirling of his hands, whereas Snape jerked his head irritably. Then they raised their wands like swords in front of them.

"As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position," Lockhart told the silent crowd.  
"On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."

"I wouldn't bet on that," Harry murmured, watching Snape baring his teeth.

"Agreed." Naruto said.

"One - two - three -"

Both of them swung their wands above their heads and pointed them at their opponent; Snape cried: "Expelliarmus!"

There was a dazzling flash of scarlet light and Lockhart was blasted off his feet: He flew backward off the stage, smashed into the wall, and slid down it to sprawl on the floor.

Malfoy and some of the other Slytherins cheered. Naruto just chuckled as he saw Gilderoy laying flat on the ground.

Hermione started dancing on tiptoes. "Do you think he's all right?" she squealed through her fingers.

"Who cares?" said Harry and Ron together.

Lockhart was getting unsteadily to his feet. His hat had fallen off and his wavy hair was standing on end.

"Well, there you have it!" he said, tottering back onto the platform.

"That was a Disarming Charm - as you see, I've lost my wand - ah, thank you, Miss Brown - yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy - however, I felt it would be instructive to let them see…"

Snape was looking murderous. Possibly Lockhart had noticed, because he said,

"Enough demonstrating! I'm going to come amongst you now and put you all into pairs. Professor Snape, if you'd like to help me -"

Lockhart grabbed Harry and Ron, but before they could go up, Snape said.

"Weasley's wand will make this a useless exercise. I suggest someone from my own House, Ms. Malfoy." Snape said.

But before Harry could go up, a voice said,

"I volunteer."

Everybody looked at Naruto, who was now in only in his pants, shoes and shirt, he took out his wand and walked up on the platform, Delphini met him at the platform.

They both met in the middle and he asked;

"Three, five or seven?"

"Seven." She Replied.

Now to those who had no idea what dueling was about, it meant nothing but to those who knew about dueling, knew, farther you are the more spells you can use, the more dangerous the dueling gets.  
Snape got the message, he taught the two students and exactly how much more powerful they were compared to other students. So, he immediately ordered.

"Everyone get back."

As Naruto and Delphini took each step away, so did everyone else, finally at seventh step, they both turned back to each other, Snape did the count down.

"Three."

Both got into a stance, Naruto stood in karate position, with his right hand holding wand in the front while, his left hand behind his back.

"Two."

Delphini took somewhat same stance, instead of standing with her shoulder facing Naruto she stood straight her legs crossed.

"One!"

"Protego." "Confringo!"

Delphini shot a small red sphere at Naruto, but Naruto already had a shield in front of him.  
As soon as the shot connected with the shield there was a large flame cloud. Naruto put his wand in front of his mouth and blew the flame cloud back as it became a stream of flames and travelled to Delphini, but she was also ready for the attack.

She held her wand with both her hands and said,

"Aguamenti!" Out of her wand came a fast, strong and expanding stream of water, as it collided with the fire, the room was filled with steam instantly. Then through the steam, came Naruto's voice.

"Ventis."  
Winds around the room picked up started to move the steam around, it was not for a few seconds that Naruto's voice came once again.

"Incarcerous."

Then the steam vanished to show Delphini in thick iron chains, her wand on the ground by her feet. Naruto standing few steps behind her.

"He used the steam as a smokescreen to get close to her to capture her."  
Snape said. Still amazed at the calibre of both the participants.

Naruto was walking closer to Delphi when he suddenly felt odd and alarmed, so before anyone could call it, he jumped back.

Others were confused at his actions but it was short lived when the chains turned to an anaconda and it dropped on Delphini's feet, she picked up her wand from the ground and smiled at Naruto, who was also grinning.

"How did you know?" Delphini asked as the Anaconda uncoiled on her feet.

"Dropping the wand was too much baiting." He replied with a foxy grin.

"Noted." She said and the turned to the snake, "Go."

The snake started to move towards Naruto, Naruto started,  
"Vipera –!"

However before he could continue the snake changed it's path and looked at some hufflepuff kid, who stood next to Harry.

Naruto was about to finish it but suddenly Harry started speaking,in parseltongue.

Everybody stopped in their places looking at Harry talking to the snake, Naruto could not pause anymore and completed his spell.

"Evanesca."

The snake turned into ash and vanished.

First it was the duel that amazed people but now it would be filled by the fear of knowing that Harry knew parseltongue.

Naruto instantly ran down the platform, but before he did he shouted to Delphi.  
"Nice fight."

"Yeah." Was all she could muster and he didn't blame her, like her he also looked at the retreating form of Ron, Harry and Hermione.  
He picked up his bag and ran after them, people tried to come in his way but he ran after the trio while shouting.

"Move it." He entered right after the trio and locked the door behind them.

Then Ron pushed Harry into an armchair and said, "You're a Parselmouth. Why didn't you tell us?"

"I'm a what?" said Harry.

'A Parselmouth!" said Ron.

"You can talk to snakes!"

"I know," said Harry.

"I mean, that's only the second time I've ever done it. I accidentally set a boa constrictor on my cousin Dudley at the zoo once - long story - but it was telling me it had never seen Brazil and I sort of set it free without meaning to that was before I knew I was a wizard -"

"A boa constrictor told you it had never seen Brazil?" Ron repeated faintly.

"So?" said Harry. "I bet loads of people here can do it."

"Oh, no they can't," said Ron. "It's not a very common gift. Harry, this is bad."

"What's bad?" said Harry, starting to feel quite angry.  
"What's wrong with everyone? Listen, if I hadn't told that snake not to attack Justin -"

"Oh, that's what you said to it?"

"What d'you mean? You were there - you heard me -"

"I heard you speaking Parseltongue," said Ron.  
"Snake language. You could have been saying anything - no wonder Justin panicked, you sounded like you were egging the snake on or something - it was creepy, you know -"

Harry gaped at him.

"I spoke a different language? But - I didn't realize - how can I speak a language without knowing I can speak it?"

Ron shook his head. Both he and Hermione were looking as though someone had died.

So, they turned to Naruto who was silent till this point. It was clear Harry couldn't see what was so terrible. Naruto took a deep breath and started.

"Parseltongue is a thing someone inherits, it cannot be learned. The only blood line in Britain that could speak parseltongue is Salazar Slytherin's. The same man who allegedly put a monster in a school. So, the thing seriously wrong here is you have to have the blood of Salazar Slytherin in you, so you can be –"

"The true heir of Slytherin." Hermione finished.

"The person that attacked everyone." Ron muttered.


	31. Book 2 Chapter 11: The 3 B's and the Diary

Naruto was walking around nose in a book, this was novel from a set of novels gifted to him by Betty as a Christmas gift, after he had given her the bag, that helped her a lot in carrying her stuff around now.

He entered the library to find some peace, that's when he spotted Harry talking to a group of Hufflepuffs.

Every one of the Hufflepuffs looked as though they had been Petrified by the sight of him, and the color was draining out of a girl he knew as Ernie's face.

"Hello," said Harry. "I'm looking for Justin Finch-Fletchley."

The Hufflepuffs' worst fears had clearly been confirmed. They all looked fearfully at Ernie.

"What do you want with him?" said Ernie in a quavering voice.

"I wanted to tell him what really happened with that snake at the Dueling Club," said Harry.

Before anything else could happen, Naruto stepped in.

"Walk away Potter." He said,

Harry looked angry but it didn't affect Naruto a bit.

"Your guilt is your problem, Justin ignoring you is his choice, you cannot demand anything from anyone, so walk away." Naruto said with a firm tone.

Harry turned on his heel and stormed out of the library, earning himself a reproving glare from Madam Pince, who was polishing the gilded cover of a large spellbook.  
While Naruto got looks of appreciation from the Hufflepuffs.

"I don't want to see people fighting each other, and stop spreading rumours around if you don't know everything." He told them as he left the library as well, his mood to read destroyed.

He started walking out of the library and to his transfiguration class when he heard.

"ATTACK! ATTACK! ANOTHER ATTACK! NO MORTAL OR GHOST IS SAFE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! ATTAAAACK!"  
Naruto could make out Peeves voice from anywhere in the world, and as soon as he heard 'attack' he ran straight towards the location where the voice was coming from, he was the first one on site, he reached to see.

Justin Finch-Fletchley was lying on the floor, rigid and cold, a look of shock frozen on his face, his eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. And that wasn't all.  
Next to him was Nearly Headless Nick, no longer pearly-white and transparent, but black and smoky, floating immobile and horizontal, six inches off the floor.  
His head was half off and his face wore an expression of shock identical to Justin's.

But what worried or shocked Naruto was Harry kneeling down next to Justin.

"What the hell." Naruto said, but before he could do anything else.  
Professor McGonagall came running, followed by her own class. Naruto saw more students rushing towards the scene from other side of hall, so thinking quickly he took out his wand and shouted,

"Nocte muros."

The air rushed at the other side forming a invisible wall of wind, which stopped the moving students enough for them to notice the scene and fell silent.  
No sooner had the scene somewhat calmed down than Ernie the Hufflepuff arrived, panting, on the scene.

"Caught in the act!" Ernie yelled, his face stark white, pointing his finger dramatically at Harry.

"That will do, Macmillan!" said Professor McGonagall sharply.

Peeves was bobbing overhead, now grinning wickedly, surveying the scene; Peeves always loved chaos. As the teachers bent over Justin and Nearly Headless Nick, examining them,

"Get lost Peeves." Naruto said to the ghost overhead, he pulled his eye down and stuck his tongue out while blowing a raspberry to taunt him but left while saying,

"Pooper Naruto!"

Some teachers carried Justin to hospital wing, while Naruto was given the task of taking care of Nick's form and Harry was lead to Dumbledore's office by McGonagall.

Later Harry came to them in the common room to tell them about everything that happened, including how Dumbledore had two phoenixes, one of which burned, and how the other one cared for the one that rose from the ashes.

Finally Naruto explained to Harry that the reason he wanted Harry to steer clear of others was because of precisely what had happened today.

The next few days went off without much happening with Naruto, apart from him having to apologise to Peeves, when he and the twins wanted Peeves help for a prank they all wanted to pull.

It was a tradition with them, the four of them always pulled a prank on someone near Christmas, last year they all caused a mini avalanche on the chorus group that had stayed back to practice during the holidays.  
This year they were thinking of bewitching some Hufflepuffs for how they all were treating Harry, Naruto's idea of snow monsters following them had won.

So it was the day before Christmas and Naruto was cleaning the ground in front of the main Hogwarts gate with the twins, as punishment for scaring the shit out of some 10 students, without using magic they were using shovels to move the snow.  
Peeves was floating around launching snowballs at Naruto and the twins.

"Stop it Peeves!" Naruto said,

Suddenly, Hermione came running towards him,

"I think it is complete, I want you to check it out."

Naruto looked around and said, "we'll be done in 15 minutes meet me then."

"Ok" She Replied, and walked back in.

"What that about pooper Paruto." Peeves asked.

"Nothing man." And a snowball straight to the face,

"I am going to murder him again." Naruto muttered to himself as the twins laughed in the background.

Later, when Naruto saw the potion he was quite impressed as it was in fact perfect, would give at least 60 minutes.

It was finally Christmas morning; Cold and white. Harry, Ron and Naruto the only ones left in their dormitory, were woken very early by Hermione, who burst in, fully dressed and carrying presents for them.

What she did not account for was that Naruto slept Shirtless.

Normally he would be up before anyone else but he chose to let Christmas be his cheat day and overslept.

"Wake up,"  
She said loudly, pulling back the curtains at the window but as soon as she turned around she saw Naruto shirtless, his semi- developed abs in view, but that was not all.

He also had a spiral tattoo on his stomach (like in anime) and a sun tattoo on his left shoulder.

Hermione instantly covered her face to hide her blush and her eyes to prevent seeing too much.

'He is like my brother.' She muttered in her head.

"Hermione - you're not supposed to be in here -" said Ron, shielding his eyes against the light, while also smirking at her reaction, Naruto pulled a shirt from his nightstand and put it on,

"You can look and merry Christmas." He said as he fell back in his bed.

"Merry Christmas to you, too," said Hermione, throwing him his present.  
"I've been up for nearly an hour, adding more lacewings to the potion. It's ready."

Harry sat up, suddenly wide awake. "Are you sure?"

"Positive," said Hermione, shifting Scabbers the rat so that she could sit down on the end of Ron's four-poster. "If we're going to do it, I say it should be tonight."

"Not we, you guys I have a important Conversation with Delphini today." Naruto said as he pulled Hermione's present from his bag and threw it to her. Followed by Harry and Ron's.

He had given Hermione a signed copy of History of Magic by Bathilda bagshot, Ron a scarf of his favourite Quidditch team and Harry a book on modern magic society.

"Read it well Mr. Clueless." Naruto told Harry.

Naruto got a luxury eagle-feather quill, a scarf with his initials NN, a fudge from Hagrid. Harry couldn't get him anything but Naruto didn't care. He was never one for materials anyway.

Later that day, He finally met up with Delphini on the black lake's shore.

"So, ready to spill?" Naruto asked as he sat next to her.

"What do you know about prophecies?" She asked.

"Everyone has one, some bigger and some small but there is one for everyone." Naruto answered.

Delphi nodded and said.

"Mine is big, I am part of the poetry of The Bird,The Beast and The Brave. I am the Bird," she dropped the bomb.

Naruto actually missed a breath, it was a old poem, so old that most people didn't consider it anything but poetry. While the majority had never heard of it.

"You are the Augurey." Naruto muttered.

"Yes, I didn't think you would know it, I am actually glad you do, I don't have to tell you the entire poem then." Delphi said,

"That's heavy man." Naruto said as he was truly scared for Delphini.

"You speak like you remember the poem by heart?" Delphi Asked.

"I do." Naruto said as he recited the poem.

* * *

_"A story told millennium ago,_   
_About sufferings of many souls_   
_A battle marked by events foretold._   
_When the hero that had fallen rises,_   
_The beast with feet on fire,_   
_Joins the war, that was halted by him._   
_The bird in storm, omen in name._   
_Will also drive that war._   
_In her name._   
_All will fall in the hands of the Braves._   
_A line of warriors, unlike anywhere_   
_The Beast, The Bird and The Brave._   
_Will survive everything till battle to come._   
_Stopping reality as one,_   
_For us it will last only a moment_   
_But to them it might for many ages;_   
_The only way to end it is to escape._   
_For one it ends in,_   
_Death's embrace_   
_For one through_   
_End of her faith._   
_Making the strongest_   
_The new master of death."_

* * *

By the end of the poem Delphini started to cry,

"I don't want to die or lose my 'faith', whatever the hell that means." She said between sobs.

"So you will try to become the master of death?" Naruto asked.

"Yes." Delphini answered.

"How?" Naruto asked.

"By collecting the Deathly Hallows. I will find them no matter what." Delphini asked.

After this they fell silent, both of them just watching the frozen lake.  
Naruto provided his shoulder literally for Delphini to cry on.

They also talked about things that happened to them this year more in-depth.  
Soon it was dark and they had to return, Naruto thought he might check up on the moronic trio.

So, he silently moved through the castle to reach the bathroom and He entered the bathroom to see broken glass and polyjuice potion scattered everywhere.

"Should have warned them. It tastes like Goblins piss." He muttered to himself.

Suddenly he heard giggling, giggling in Moaning Myrtle's out-of-order bathroom. It had to be something extremely funny, so he tiptoed to see Myrtle peaking into one of the stalls and giggling. She spotted him flew towards him and said,

"What are you doing here?" She asked him.

"You really have to stop being racist, yeah I'm Japanese, sorry to hurt your feelings." Naruto said monotonously.

"I never said I have any problem with you being Japanese!! I thought you were lying about your name since you don't look Japanese!" Myrtle screamed at his fave.

"Have to look Japanese to be Japanese? Whose not racist?" Naruto said and before any of them could say anything further they heard.

"Who's there?" It was Hermione.

"It's me Hermione. Naruto." Naruto said,

"Go away." She said.

He had made his way to the only closed stall by now.

"We are not repeating last year Hermione, open this damn door and tell me what's up?" Naruto said.

He heard a sigh and finally the gate opened and Naruto could not help himself, he burst into laughter. It was to this that Harry and Ron returned.

Hermione had quickly covered her face covered with her robes.

"What's up?" said Ron uncertainty.

"Have you still got Millicent's nose or something?"

"Millicent's nose! Hahahahahahahahahah! Wait till you see her nose!"

Hermione let her robes fall and Ron backed into the sink.

Her face was covered in black fur. Her eyes had turned yellow and there were long, pointed ears poking through her hair.

"It was a c-cat hair!" she howled.

"M-Millicent Bulstrode m-must have a cat! And the p-potion isn't supposed to be used for animal transformations!"

"Uh-oh," said Ron.

"You'll be teased something dreadful," said Myrtle happily.

"It's okay, Hermione," said Harry quickly.

"We'll take you up to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey never asks too many questions –"

"No need." Naruto said finally calming down.

He took out a vile of purple liquid from his bag and handed it to Hermione.

"It will cure this but give you an awful food poisoning, but food poisoning is better that trying to explain how you turned into a cat." He finished.

Hermione chugged the liquid down and the effect was instantaneous, she turned back into herself but she felt like wanting to throw up.

"I'd run to Madam Pomfrey if I were you." Naruto said with a smirk and the three did.

"Oh my god! This was a fun Christmas."

Naruto muttered to himself as he started to walk out of the bathroom.

"The tail, hohohohahah."  
Naruto laughed the rest of the way like a maniac. All the ghosts looking at him like he had gone crazy.

* * *

Hermione remained in the hospital wing for several weeks. There was a flurry of rumor about her disappearance when the rest of the school arrived back from their Christmas holidays, because of course everyone thought that she had been attacked.

So many students filed past the hospital wing trying to catch a glimpse of her. Leading to Madam Pomfrey taking out her curtains again and placed them around Hermione's bed, along with a silent charm to prevent her the shame of being seen and heard barfing randomly.

They all went to visit her every evening. When the new term started, they brought her each day's homework.

"If I'd sprouted whiskers, then had to drink a potion that made me throw up every hour, I'd take a break from work," said Ron, tipping a stack of books onto Hermione's bedside table one evening.

"Don't be silly, Ron, I've got to keep up," said Hermione briskly. Her spirits were greatly improved by the fact that her 'attacks' were getting less frequent.

"I don't suppose you've got any new leads?" she added in a whisper, so that Madam Pomfrey couldn't hear her.

"Nothing," said Harry gloomily.

"I was so sure it was Malfoy," said Ron, for about the hundredth time.

"It helps in elimination." Naruto said,

He had made an antitoxin to polyjuice potion as soon as he had heard his friends were making it, not knowing he would have to use it, but he was glad he did. That's what he had told them, and they were also glad he did.

"What's that?" asked Harry, pointing to something gold sticking out from under Hermione's pillow.

"Just a get well card," said Hermione hastily, trying to poke it out of sight, but Ron was too quick for her. He pulled it out, flicked it open, and read aloud:

"To Miss Granger, wishing you a speedy recovery, from your concerned teacher, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most- Charming-Smile Award. "

Ron looked up at Hermione, disgusted. "You sleep with this under your pillow?"

But Hermione was spared answering by Madam Pomfrey sweeping over with her evening dose of medicine.

After this Naruto separated from them to go the common room, suddenly a figure ran past him, bumping into him but not stopping even though they must have got hurt, he saw the figure enter Gryffindor tower but that was all he could make out.

Naruto didn't pay it much mind and entered his dormitory to go in his briefcase to do research, it would be later that Naruto would hear about the story on how Harry got some " T.M riddle's" diary and it was the day Hermione was out of the hospital that Harry told them about how the diary showed him, what happened 50 years ago.

Harry, Ron and Hermione walking together across the grounds, Naruto walking a little ahead.

"It can't be Hagrid. It just can't be." Hermione said.

"We don't even know this Riddle. He sounds like a dirty, rotten snitch to me." Ron said.

"The monster had killed someone, Ron. What would any of us done?" Harry said.

"How about not pushing blame on your friend so fast for starters and Trusting a stupid diary over your friend." Naruto told Harry.

"Exactly, Look. Hagrid's our friend. Why don't we just go ask him about it?" Hermione asked.

"That'd be a cheerful visit. Hullo, Hagrid. Tell us, have you been setting anything mad and hairy loose in the castle lately?" Ron said.

"Mad an' hairy? Wouldn' be talkin' 'bou me, now would yeh?" Hagrid grinning at them. Who somehow had sneaked up to them.

"No!" The four shouted in unison.

Hagrid looks at them curiously. Harry nodding to the canister in Hagrid's hand and asks.

"What's that you've got, Hagrid?"

"Flesh-Eatin' Slug Repellent. Fer the Mandrakes, yeh know. Accordin' ter Professor Sprout, they still got a bit o' growin' up ter do, but once their acne clears up, we'll be able to chop 'em up, stew 'em, an' get those people in the hospital un-Petrified. 'Til then, you four best watch yerselves, all righ'?" Hagrid replied.

They nod and watched Hagrid as lopes away. Just then, Neville cames running up. He looked pale with fright.

"Harry, I don't know who did it, but – you'd better come." He said as he started running away but followed closely behind by others, all the way to Harry's space in Gryffindor second year dormitory, to see it in disaster: trunk riffled, drawers flung open, bedclothes strewn on the floor.

"It had to be a Gryffindor. Nobody else knows our password. Unless, it wasn't a student –" Hermione said,

"Well, whoever it was, they were looking for something." Ron said, while Naruto moved some stuff around.

"And they found it… Tom Riddle's diary is gone." Harry replied.

Following days once again went without much happening and it was the day Quidditch match, when The team was getting ready to move.

"Listen up now. We play our game, Hufflepuff doesn't stand a chance, 're stronger, quicker, smarter." Wood said.

"Not to mention they're dead terrified Harry'll Petrify them if they fly anywhere near him." George said.

"That, too." Wood said, as the rest of the team chuckled.

Just then, Professor McGonagall appears, barring their way.

"Professor McGonagall –" Wood said,

"This match has been cancelled." Professor McGonagall.

"Cancelled! They can't cancel Quidditch –!" Wood Exclaimed.

"Silence, Wood! You will return to Gryffindor Tower now. Potter, Naruto. You both and I will find Mr. Weasley. There's something the three of you need to see." She told them.

"This will be a bit of a shock," said Professor McGonagall in a surprisingly gentle voice as they approached the infirmary. "There has been another attack – another double attack."

Professor McGonagall pushed the door open and they entered.

Madam Pomfrey was bending over a fifth-year girl with long, curly hair.  
Naruto recognized her as a Ravenclaw he saw frequently with Percy and on the bed next to her was,

"Hermione!" Ron groaned.

"They were found near the library," said Professor McGonagall. "I don't suppose either of you can explain this? It was on the floor next to them ."

She was holding up a small, circular mirror.

Harry and Ron shook their heads, both staring at Hermione.

But something clicked in Naruto,

"Was their weird movement of Spiders?" Naruto asked.

Everybody looked at each other, then Harry said,

"Every time."

Naruto's eye widened.

"How the hell could I miss this? It was right in front of me all this time." Naruto said as he face palmed.

"What is it Naruto?" McGonagall asked.

"I know what beast is hidden in the Chamber." Naruto said.

Everybody's eyes widened, McGonagall was quick to move,

"Come with me." Naruto nodded and then turned to the pair, and whispered.

"Go to Hagrid."

He then followed McGonagall to the Headmaster's office. Along the way she called for Snape to join them as well.

They were all finally in Headmaster's office with Dumbledore on his desk, Snape and McGonagall on both sides.

"So you say you know, what creature is hidden in the Chamber?" Snape asked.

"Of the many fearsome beasts and monsters that roam our land, there is none more curious or more deadly than the Basilisk, known also as the King of Serpents. This snake, which may reach gigantic size and live many hundreds of years, is born from a chicken's egg, hatched beneath a toad. Its methods of killing are most wondrous, for aside from its deadly and venomous fangs, the Basilisk has a murderous stare, and all who are fixed with the beam of its eye shall suffer instant death. Spiders flee before the Basilisk, for it is their mortal enemy, and the Basilisk flees only from the crowing of the rooster, which is fatal to it." Naruto muttered the words as if he was reading it from a book, and the reactions were also obvious.

Shock.

"It was Slytherin's beast, every time the attacks happened there was a reflective surface in the area, Hermione also figured it out, that's why she carried the mirror to look around corners. Whoever is controlling it, has been killing roasters for months." Naruto finished.

"But how can a great snake, Travel around the school without getting noticed by anyone?" McGonagall asked.

"I am still working on that." Naruto answered.

Just then, the gates of the office opened and walked in none other than the Minister of Magic himself.

"Cornelius Fudge." Naruto whispered.

"What is going on here?" He asked the four.

"Nothing." Dumbledore stated,  
"Just chatting with one of our brightest, Mr. Namikaze here. What can I help you with, Minister?" He added.

"It's about Hagrid." The Minister said,

Naruto returned to his room to find Harry and Ron gone, so he went into his briefcase to pull everything on a Basilisk.

Later, he would hear about everything from Harry and Ron everything they got from Aragog, and about everything that happened with Dumbledore. while he told them about the Basilisk.


	32. Book 2 Chapter 12: Into the Chamber

It was two days later that Naruto was coming back from the owlry.

It was almost dark and he needed to hurry or some teacher will find him and lecture him about safety but it was interrupted when he heard,

"All students are to return to their house dormitories at once. All teachers to the second floor corridor. Immediately."  
It was McGonagall's announcement. He turned around to go to the second floor corridor to see what was up but than suddenly, crying Betty came running towards him,

"She is gone! I should have told someone about it but she swore me not to but now she has been taken." She said between sobs.

"What is going on? What happened? Tell me from the start." Naruto while putting a comforting hand on her shoulders.

"It's Ginny, she brought this Diary with her, in which if you wrote, it wrote back. At first we were having fun, and she would always find time for everyone but slowly she started acting weird, and she stopped talking to me, sneaking away even during these attacks and then now she's–" Betty sobbed.

"She's what Betty?" Naruto asked.

"She has been taken down to the Chamber." Betty continued crying.

Naruto's eyes widened, he instantly embraced Betty in a comforting hug but his mind was somewhere else,

The diary.

He went back on all the whereabouts of the diary known to him, if Betty was saying Ginny had the Diary last, that meant she was the one that took it from Harry's stuff.

It also meant she was the one that threw the diary in second floor bathroom, but where did she get it?  
Then it clicked the books that were taken out from her Cauldron at Flourish and Blotts were not the only ones given back to her, there was one another, the diary, and it always found it's way around the second floor bathroom, and then it clicked to him.

Pipes.

There had to be other decendents of Slytherin that knew about the Chamber

Everytime it was searched for, and construction were done around the school, they could easily have enough influence to keep it from getting discovered, maybe also nudged along the plan for pipes all around the school for the snake to travel around easily. He had to check this theory.

"I have to go." Naruto said as he detached and turned to race to the second floor bathroom.

"I am coming with you if you are going to help Ginny." Betty said, as she followed him.

He didn't have the heart to deny her, so he complied. Soon they were in the bathroom to see Myrtle looking at the basins with surprise.

"I was right, there is a passage here isn't it?" He asked Myrtle. She just nodded.

"How do we open it?" Betty asked.

"With Parseltongue." Naruto said,

"Yeah, Harry and the other two entered after Harry spoke some weird language." Myrtle answered.

"What?! They are down there? And they didn't tell me? Haven't they learned anything from last year!" Naruto shouted.

"I don't have time for this, get back!" He told Betty as he took out his wand, pointed at the basins and shouted.

"Rasengan."

A blue shot was fired from his wand and as soon as it came in contact with the basin it expanded into a blue ball which kept expanding till it covered the entire basin, it faded away to release a massive dust cloud but the basin was now gone turned to dust.

"It good conscious I cannot let you follow me," Naruto said to Betty.

"I am not going anywhere," she tightened her ponytail, threw her bag aside and took out her wand, while Naruto also removed his robes and threw his bag aside.

"I thought so. Let's go." With that they both jumped down.

They slide down the tunnel for a long time until they finally reached a space filled with skeletons.  
As they reached the dark tunnel Naruto raised his wand and said,

"Lumos."

The room was filled with light. He looked back at Betty to see her face, it was clear she wanted to throw up but she held it.

"Let's go." Naruto said, walking forward, as they took the first step, they felt the tunnel shake.

"What was that?" Betty asked.

"⅔ of the moronic trio." Naruto answered.

They walked for 5 minutes when he found Ron trying to move the rocks with Lockhart lying knocked out next to him.

"You idiot!" Naruto shouted as soon as he was him, Ron turned to him and instantly looked guilty,

"Just like last year, you guys moved without telling me. I could have helped, you moron!" Naruto scolded Ron,

"My sister –!" Ron started.

"I know that is why I'm not hitting you for being stupid." Naruto said as he looked around the rocks to see the structure carefully.

"What happened to him?" Betty asked Ron, pointing at Lockhart.

"Himself." Ron replied simply.

"Alright," Naruto finally answered, "get back and take the git with you or he'll die."

Finally they all pulled back and Naruto pointed to a specific point on the wall, then he shot another Rasengan at the point, the part of wall turned to dust, he waited for the rocks to shift and like he predicted the rocks moved around to clear a narrow path.

"Amazing! Let's go help Harry." Ron said as he started to move towards the path but Naruto stepped in front of him.

"No." Naruto said,

"What?" Betty asked.

"Both of you are staying right here." Naruto said.

"Don't joke, I am going." Ron tried to move but Naruto turned Ron around and put him in a deadlock.

"Look we don't know how Ginny will be and I'm not letting you two see her in case she is in wrong state. So, please just stay here." Naruto told him as he let Ron go.

Both Ron and Betty saw the pleading look on Naruto's face and nodded.

Naruto walked up to the gate to the Chamber, he could feel the magic cast on the gate, it was million times stronger than steel, no way to break it by force, but then he heard a voice in his head, a voice he has been hearing all summer before the beginning of this year, of Nicolas flamel.

'When you practice alchemy, what differentiates it from transfiguration is contact, in transfiguration you wave your wand with a image in mind and cast the spell but in alchemy, first you establish contact.

"Then, you send a controlled pulse magic to map the object. Each molecule, each atom is now naked to you. You control everything now, you are connected to this object as one, now if want to manipulate it, you have to destroy and then you rebuild, you use your magic as fire of forges to reform, you take the heat and add it to your own soul. Carefully now because if you don't handle the heat, you will end up burned.'

It was the final lesson Flamel had given him.

The final stage of Alchemy, complete control and transmutation.

Naruto folded his sleeves back, then placed his wand in his mouth and then waved his right hand over his sun tattoo on his left shoulder.  
It glowed through his white shirt then broke into small characters which moved to both his palms joining back together to form two smaller suns. He placed his palms on the door and concentrated.

To others there was nothing for some moments, then there was a sound of crushing metal.

CLANG!

Inside the Chamber, Harry was on top of the stone statue trying his best to defend himself from the Basilisk's attacks from the sword that he had pulled from the hat.

While the 'memory' of Tom Riddle monologued next to Ginny's dying form but all of their attention was taken by the sound of crushing metal.

CLANG!

Tom riddle turned to the gate to see smoke coming from it's corners,

CLANG!

The entire structure vibrated.

CLANG!

At this the gate flew off it's hinges, smoking it rolled inside until it finally reached and fell partially into the water, but before it did, both Harry and Tom saw two burning hand prints on the door.

They turned their gaze to the door to see Naruto standing on the gate with his hands smoking, while the air around his body distorting showing that he was the source of this heat.

"Who the hell are you?"  
Naruto asked Riddle as he stepped in to see the Basilisk stalking Harry as well as Ginny's body next to Riddle's feet with the diary lying next to Ginny.

"I am –!" before Tom could say anything, water from the surrounding rushed straight at him, while also floating down and around Ginny and the diary and carrying them towards Naruto, who had his wand up with it's end glowing deep blue.

"I don't care." Naruto said, then he looked at Basilisk regaining it's focus to attack Harry, Naruto knew he needed help,

"KURAMA!" Naruto screamed,

Now what happened next surprised Harry and Tom, and got the Basilisk's entire attention.

A huge blast of white flame and a 6 feet high, 12 feet long Nine tailed fox ran out the flame and tackled the Basilisk.

She bit the snake straight away and soon as she did yellow lightning sparked around the cave, while Tom still had to put his shield up to prevent himself for drowning in the continuous water stream.

"HARRY! KURAMA CANNOT KILL THE SNAKE, THE SWORD! IT'S GOBLIN MADE. STAB IT! KURAMA WILL GIVE YOU A OPPORTUNITY!"

Naruto was sweating at this point.

He had used up lot of his magic to break the door and this water attack was also taking a lot of toll on him.  
He knew for a fact that whoever or whatever he was flooding was not at his full strength, maybe just beginning to gain strength and that is why he didn't want to draw anything between them for long,

While Kurama fought Basilisk to a stalemate.

Finally Kurama got the upper hand which she used to bite down on it's neck and then she turned the snake head around and brought it down on Harry.

Harry got the idea, he held the sword high and waited as the snake was penetrated by the sword killing it.  
Kurama let go and then burst into flames to reduce her size and tackle Harry on the ground protecting him from the swinging body of the snake, finally the snake landed back on the ground dead. Harry carrying the sword accompanied by Kurama quickly reached Naruto who finally lost control and the water stopped rushing Tom.

When the water finally settled Tom, drenched in water said,

"So futile, the Basilisk might be dead but I have won, soon Ginny would be dead and I will be reborn!" He said,

Naruto who was on his knees gave Harry a Look, specifically at the tooth of Basilisk sticking out of his hand, Harry followed his vision and then looked at the Diary, he took the tooth and mustered all his strength,

"I wouldn't be so sure, bitch." Naruto said.

As Harry jammed the tooth straight into the diary, they heard a strong, 'NO' from Tom as he started to crack and glow and then vanish, then the heard the sound of wood hitting ground to see Tom was gone.

"Who the hell was that?" Naruto said as he leaned on Kurama who was half her previous size.

"He was –!" but before Harry could reply, Ginny shot up.  
Her bemused eyes traveled from the huge form of the dead basilisk, to Naruto leaning on a nine tailed fox, over to Harry, in his blood-soaked robes, then to the diary in his hand. She drew a great, shuddering gasp and tears began to pour down her face.

"Harry - oh, Harry - I tried to tell you at b-breakfast, but I c-couldn't say it in front of Percy - it was me, Harry - but I - I s-swear I d- diddt mean to - R-Riddle made me, he t-took me over - and - how did you kill that - that thing? W-where's Riddle? The last thing I r- remember is him coming out of the diary -"

" It's all right," said Harry, holding up the diary, and showing Ginny the fang hole.

"Riddle's finished. Look! Him and the basilisk. C'mon, Ginny, let's get out of here -"

He tried to move but lost his footing.

"It's the venom, most lethal snake venom in the world. Don't worry though, help is coming." Naruto said as he finally gained enough strength to stand on his feet.

As if waiting for a queue, two brilliant Phoenix flew into the room one bigger than other.

"It's Fawkes and Dumbledore's other Phoenix!" Harry shouted.

"Her name is Amaterasu and she belongs to me."  
Naruto said as Amaterasu settled on his shoulder, while Fawkes dropped few of his tears on Harry's wound healing him instantly.

"You have a Phoenix and –" Harry,  
"Kitsune." Naruto helped him.

"A kitsune?" Harry asked.

"I'll tell the three of you all about it later for now, let's leave." Naruto told them, as Kurama disappeared in a burst of white flame.

Unknown to them Naruto kept the snake's fang for himself and then they met up with Ron and Betty.

Both of whom were overjoyed to see the three alive, they were also surprised to see Naruto's Phoenix, But for now prioritised escaping to questions.  
They made it to the end of the slide they came down from, here Amaterasu carried everyone except for Naruto up the pipes, while Naruto came with Fawkes.

Back at the Bathroom Myrtle greeted them.

"You're alive," she said blankly to Harry.

"There's no need to sound so disappointed," he said grimly, wiping flecks of blood and slime off his glasses.

"We made it too, thanks for asking." Naruto said as he collected his and Betty's stuff.

"Oh, well… I'd just been thinking… if you had died, you'd have been welcome to share my toilet, only you Harry." said Myrtle, blushing silver.

"Racist ghost. Not wanting to share a stupid bathroom with a Japanese huh?" Naruto said as he collected his and Betty's stuff.

"Urgh!" said Ron as they left the bathroom for the dark, deserted corridor outside.

"Harry! I think Myrtle's grown fond of you! You've got competition, Ginny!" Ron added.

But tears were still flooding silently down Ginny's face, while Betty tried her best to tell her it wasn't her fault.

"Where now?" said Ron, with an anxious look at Ginny who's was in Betty's arms.

Harry pointed.

Fawkes and Amaterasu were leading the way, glowing gold along the corridor. They strode after them, and moments later, found themselves outside Professor McGonagall's office.

Harry knocked and pushed the door open.

For a moment there was silence as Harry, Ron, Ginny, Betty, Naruto and Lockhart stood in the doorway, covered in muck and slime and (in Harry's case) blood. Then there was a scream.

"Ginny!"

It was Mrs. Weasley, who had been sitting crying in front of the fire. She leapt to her feet, closely followed by Mr. Weasley, and both of them flung themselves on their daughter.

Professor Dumbledore was standing by the mantelpiece, beaming, next to Professor McGonagall, who was taking great, steadying gasps, clutching her chest. Fawkes went whooshing past Harry's ear and settled on Dumbledore's shoulder, while Amaterasu also settled on Naruto's shoulder.

"You saved her! You saved her! How did you do it?"

"I think we'd all like to know that," said Professor McGonagall weakly.

Then Harry told them Harry-Ron-Hermione-Lockhart part of the story till Naruto's entry in the Chamber, emphasising on Naruto blowing up the Chamber door off it's hinges.

Hearing which Dumbledore seemed to give a satisfying smile, then Naruto told them Naruto-Betty part of the story, even the part about Kurama, he didn't want to hide her anymore and they spent the next hour reciting every detail and answering every question.

"What interests me most," said Dumbledore gently, "is how Lord Voldemort managed to enchant Ginny, when my sources tell me he is currently in hiding in the forests of Albania."

Relief - warm, sweeping, glorious relief - swept over Harry.

"W- what's that?" said Mr. Weasley in a stunned voice. "YouKnow-Who? En-enchant Ginny? But Ginny's not ... Ginny hasn't been ... has she?"

"It was this diary," said Harry quickly, picking it up and showing it to Dumbledore.

"Riddle wrote it when he was sixteen –"

"I believe he did more than just write in it. I have seen enhancements of giving life to objects up close but this, this was different." Naruto said cleaning his face with a handkerchief Betty had given him.

Dumbledore took the diary from Harry and peered keenly down his long, crooked nose at its burnt and soggy pages.

"I agree with you Naruto." He said then softly added.

"Brilliant, Of course, he was probably the most brilliant student Hogwarts has ever seen." He turned gave Naruto a look, which only McGonagall and the adults noticed," up until now, of course."

Then he turned around to the Weasleys, who were looking utterly bewildered.

"Very few people know that Lord Voldemort was once called Tom Riddle. I taught him myself, fifty years ago, at Hogwarts. He disappeared after leaving the school ... traveled far and wide ... sank so deeply into the Dark Arts, consorted with the very worst of our kind, underwent so many dangerous, magical transformations, that when he resurfaced as Lord Voldemort, he was barely recognizable. Hardly anyone connected Lord Voldemort with the clever, handsome boy who was once Head Boy here."

"And don't forget, the slime ball was awarded award for special services for framing an innocent man." Naruto said.

"That too." Dumbledore said with a smile,

"But, Ginny," said Mrs. Weasley. "What's our Ginny got to do with - with - him?"

"His d-diary" Ginny sobbed. "I've b-been writing in it, and he's been w-writing back all year -"

"Ginny!" said Mr. Weasley, flabbergasted.

"Haven't I taught you anything. What have I always told you? Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brain? Why didn't you show the diary to me, or your mother? A suspicious object like that, it was clearly full of Dark Magic'

"I d-didn't know," sobbed Ginny. "I found it inside one of the books Mum got me. I th-thought someone had just left it in there and forgotten about it -"

"Miss Weasley should go up to the hospital wing right away," Dumbledore interrupted in a firm voice.  
"This has been a terrible ordeal for her. There will be no punishment. Older and wiser wizards than she have been hoodwinked by Lord Voldemort."  
He strode over to the door and opened it.

"Bed rest and perhaps a large, steaming mug of hot chocolate. I always find that cheers me up," he added, twinkling kindly down at her.

"Hot choclate with marshmallows sounds like a dream right now." Naruto said while the other kids nodded. Betty even chuckled.

"You will find that Madam Pomfrey is still awake. She's just giving out Mandrake juice - I daresay the basilisk's victims will be waking up any moment."

"So Hermione's okay!" said Ron brightly.

"There has been no lasting harm done, Ginny," said Dumbledore.

Mrs. Weasley led Ginny out, and Mr. Weasley followed, still looking deeply shaken.

"You know, Minerva," Professor Dumbledore said thoughtfully to Professor McGonagall, "I think all this merits a good feast. Might I ask you to go and alert the kitchens?"

"Right," said Professor McGonagall crisply, also moving to the door. "I'll leave you to deal with the four hoodlums, shall I?"

"Certainly," said Dumbledore.

She left, and Harry and Ron gazed uncertainly at Dumbledore.  
While Naruto looked down at the ground nervous and Betty wanted to cry once again, What exactly had Professor McGonagall meant, deal with them? Surely - surely - they weren't about to be punished?

"I seem to remember telling you both (pointing to Ron and Harry) that I would have to expel you if you broke any more school rules and You (pointing to Naruto.) knowingly destroyed school property,"said Dumbledore.

Ron opened his mouth in horror.

"Which goes to show that the best of us must sometimes eat our words," Dumbledore went on, smiling.  
"You will all receive Special Awards for Services to the School and - let me see - yes, I think two hundred points apiece for Gryffindor."

Ron went as briglitly pink as Lockhart's valentine flowers and closed his mouth again.

Betty who was about to cry couldn't help the brilliant smile coming to her face.

Naruto released the breath he didn't know he was holding.

"But one of us seems to be keeping mightily quiet about his part in this dangerous adventure," Dumbledore added. "Why so modest, Gilderoy?"

They had completely forgotten about Lockhart. Harry turned and saw that Lockhart was standing in a corner of the room, still wearing his vague smile. When Dumbledore addressed him, Lockhart looked over his shoulder to see who he was talking to.

"Professor Dumbledore," Ron said quickly, "there was an accident down in the Chamber of Secrets. Professor Lockhart -"

"Am I a professor?" said Lockhart in mild surprise. "Goodness. I expect I was hopeless, was I?"

"Oh you were.." Naruto was saying but Betty pinched his hand, "not."

"He tried to do a Memory Charm and the wand backfired," Ron explained quietly to Dumbledore.

"Dear me," said Dumbledore, shaking his head, his long silver mustache quivering. "Impaled upon your own sword, Gilderoy!"

"Sword?" said Lockhart dimly. "Haven't got a sword. That boy has, though." He pointed at Harry. "He'll lend you one."

"Would you mind taking Professor Lockhart up to the infirmary, too?" Dumbledore said to Ron.

"Miss Elizabeth you should go too." Dumbledore told Betty.

"Harry I want to have a word with you, Naruto stay outside as well." He finished.

They all dispersed, Naruto exited and sat down right next to the gate. Naruto was about to nod off when he heard footsteps,

"Not him." He said, as he spotted Lucius Malfoy walking towards the door, now Naruto would have stopped him form opening the door but he was tired and hungry, so he thought it be better if Dumbledore himself handled him.  
He didn't stop Lucius from opening the door but he did enter afterwards to enjoy the show. He finally also noticed an elf behind him.

"Good evening, Lucius," said Dumbledore pleasantly.

Mr. Malfoy almost knocked Harry over as he swept into the room. Dobby went scurrying in after him, crouching at the hem of his cloak, a look of abject terror on his face.

The elf was carrying a stained rag with which he was attempting to finish cleaning Mr. Malfoys shoes.  
Apparently Mr. Malfoy had set out in a great hurry, for not only were his shoes half-polished, but his usually sleek hair was disheveled. Ignoring the elf bobbing apologetically around his ankles, he fixed his cold eyes upon Dumbledore.

"So!" he said "You've come back. The governors suspended you, but you still saw fit to return to Hogwarts."

"Well, you see, Lucius," said Dumbledore, smiling serenely, "the other eleven governors contacted me today. It was something like being caught in a hailstorm of owls, to tell the truth."

"They'd heard that Arthur Weasleys daughter had been killed and wanted me back here at once. They seemed to think I was the best man for the job after all. Very strange tales they told me, too ... Several of them seemed to think that you had threatened to curse their families if they didn't agree to suspend me in the first place."

Mr. Malfoy went even paler than usual, but his eyes were still slits of fury.

"So - have you stopped the attacks yet?" he sneered. "Have you caught the culprit?"

"We have," said Dumbledore, with a smile.

"Well?" said Mr. Malfoy sharply. "Who is it?"

"The same person as last time, Lucius," said Dumbledore. "But this time, Lord Voldemort was acting through somebody else. By means of this diary."

He held up the small black book with the large hole through the center, watching Mr. Malfoy closely. Harry, however, was watching Dobby.

The elf was doing something very odd. His great eyes fixed meaningfully on Harry, he kept pointing at the diary, then at Mr. Malfoy, and then hitting himself hard on the head with his fist.

"I see…" said Mr. Malfoy slowly to Dumbledore.

"A clever plan," said Dumbledore in a level voice, still staring Mr. Malfoy straight in the eye.  
"Because if Harry and Naruto here" -Mr. Malfoy shot Harry a swift, sharp look but chose to ignore Naruto, "and their friends Ron and Elizabeth hadn't discovered this book, why - Ginny Weasley might have taken all the blame. No one would ever have been able to prove she hadn't acted of her own free will.."

Mr. Malfoy said nothing. His face was suddenly masklike.

"And imagine," Dumbledore went on, "what might have happened then ... The Weasleys are one of our most prominent pure-blood families. Imagine the effect on Arthur Weasley and his Muggle Protection Act, if his own daughter was discovered attacking and - killing Muggle-borns ... Very fortunate the diary was discovered, and Riddle's memories wiped from it.

"Who knows what the consequences might have been otherwise."

Mr. Malfoy forced himself to speak. "Very fortunate," he said stiffly.

And still, behind his back, Dobby was pointing, first to the diary, then to Lucius Malfoy, then punching himself in the head.

And Harry suddenly understood. He nodded at Dobby, and Dobby backed into a corner, now twisting his ears in punishment.

"Don't you want to know how Ginny got hold of that diary, Mr. Malfoy?" said Harry.

"I know." Naruto spoke up finally, everybody turned to him,

"Do you remember Harry it was a slithering good for nothing butt for brain man that slipped the diary in Ginny's cauldrons, he had white hair, thought of himself as some big shot but would run away with his tail between his legs at the first sign of trouble, What was his name again Harry?" Naruto said acting like he seriously needed to think who it was.

"You know what Naruto, I cannot remember?" Harry said with a smile of his own.

"What are you insinuating?" Lucius asked getting red with anger.

"Just that, If He were to do something like this again, he will know what fire of Phoenix really feels like when it touches a snakes body." Naruto said as Amaterasu, who was still on his shoulder flapped her wings to show some sparks flying from them.

"I would advise that Slithering good for nothing butt for brain man not to go giving out any more of Lord Voldemort's old school things. If any more of them find their way into innocent hands, well like you heard Young Naruto." Dumbledore said with the biggest smile anybody has seen on his face yet.

"We're going, Dobby!"

He wrenched open the door and as the elf came hurrying up to him, he kicked him right through it.  
They could hear Dobby squealing with pain all the way along the corridor. Harry stood for a moment, thinking hard. Then it came to him -

"Professor Dumbledore," he said hurriedly. "Can I give that diary back to Mr. Malfoy, please?"

"Certainly, Harry," said Dumbledore calmly. "But hurry. The feast, remember.."

As Harry left, Naruto and Dumbledore were the only one left.

"So you finally completed your alchemy training." Dumbledore told Naruto.

"Yeah, and just in time too or Harry might still be down there." Naruto said.

"And Kurama and Amaterasu are out to the world." He continued.

"I am proud to be known as a partner to those two and I will explain everything to the people that matter on the train to London." Naruto told him.

"Where are you going?" Dumbledore asked.

"I haven't heard from Irene for almost a year now, I have to see things for myself and also to get the tracer off me and that can only happen back home." Naruto told him

"Then I will wish you good luck Na.." Dumbledore was saying but he paused and then said, "The next Flame Alchemist." , Dumbledore finished with a grin.

Naruto also smirked as he walked out of the office to go take a long bath and be done with this year,

There have been several Hogwarts feasts before, but never one quite like this.

Everybody was in their pajamas, and the celebration lasted all night. They didn't know whether the best bit was Hermione running toward them, screaming "You solved it! You solved it!" or Justin hurrying over from the Hufflepuff table to shake Harry's hand and apologize endlessly for suspecting him;

Or Hagrid turning up at half past three, hugging the life out of Harry, Ron and Naruto, or Naruto, Betty, Ron and Harry's eight hundred points for Gryffindor securing the House Cup for the second year running, or Professor McGonagall standing up totell them all that the exams had been canceled as a school treat ("Oh, no!" said Hermione), or Dumbledore announcing that, unfortunately, Professor Lockhart would be unable to return next year, owing to the fact that he needed to go away and get his memory back.  
Quite a few of the teachers joined in the cheering that greeted this news.

"Shame," said Ron, helping himself to a jam doughnut. "He was starting to grow on me."

"Yeah, I was about to actually call him Professor Gilderoy one of these days." Naruto joked,

The rest of the final term passed in a haze of blazing sunshine.  
Hogwarts was back to normal with only a few, small differences - Defense Against the Dark Arts classes were canceled ("but we've had plenty of practice at that anyway," Ron told a disgruntled Hermione) and Lucius Malfoy had been sacked as a school governor.

Draco was no longer strutting around the school as though he owned the place. On the contrary, he looked resentful and sulky. On the other hand, Ginny Weasley was perfectly happy again with her two best friends Luna and Betty.

Too soon, it was time for the journey home on the Hogwarts Express. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Naruto, Betty, and Ginny got a compartment to themselves.

With Kurama in her chibi form on his head and Amaterasu on the portable bird in the compartment, It was time for Naruto to tell the truth to his friend. Everyone was looking at him, when he started speaking.

"My truth has to remain a secret that only you guys can know, and nobody else." Naruto asked.

Everyone gave them his word and he started.

"My real name is Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze."

Apart from Harry and Betty, everyone recoiled in shock,

"What are you related to Japanese Minister of Magic Kushina Uzumaki?" Hermione asked.

"Or Erza 'the scarlet' Uzumaki? Best Chaser in the world?" Ron asked.

"Or Mito Uzumaki, lead scientist of Uzumaki corps?" Ginny asked.

"Mother, eldest sister, middle sister." Naruto answered.

"Holy.." Harry was saying but Naruto stopped him.

"But I have never talked to my sisters, while I don't remember ever meeting of them. You see while in England your family ties define your status as 'pureblood'; 'halfblood' or 'muggleborn' in Asian communities, something called a 'presence' defines us."

"'Presence' has been defined as what our magic is like,extremely strong magic from birth makes one pureblood, and as strength decrease status decreases, now while my sisters were born with magic strength sufficient to make them 'pureblood' I wasn't. I was marked as 'half blood'."

"Now, that was not acceptable to Uzumaki elders, even though my father was a hero, absence of sufficient 'presence' made me unfit to be called an Uzumaki, me looking like my day also helped the cause, so they erased my parents marriage from history, changed my sisters surname to Uzumaki and removed me from the family tree, made sure that I will never be in the same room as them if they could help it."

"It broke my mother's heart, she went spiralled for sometime add my father's death as a cherry on top and she locked herself in her room for a month. That made sure that my sisters would start to hate me enough to never establish contact with me, even after I send them birthday letters like clockwork, the person that took care of me was my mother's right hand, Irene Belserion."

"The Scarlet Witch?!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Yeah, and then two years ago I met my first real friends." Naruto said pointing to a Kurama on his head and Amaterasu.

"Then I left Japan to start a new right here in Hogwarts and bless the soul that wrote my story I did get a new start, with you guys." Naruto finished his story.

"That's heavy." Ron said as he finished his story,

"So, what do guys think?" Naruto asked.

"Nothing really, You are still the same Naruto we all know." Hermione said,

"Yeah man!" Harry told him,

Soon they all talked with Kurama and they started having fun. Soon joined by Fred and George.

They were almost at King's Cross when Harry remembered something.

"Ginny - what did you see Percy doing, that he didn't want you to tell anyone?"

"Oh, that," said Ginny, giggling. "Well - Percy's got a girlfriend." Fred dropped a stack of books on George's head.

"What?"

"It's that Ravenclaw prefect, Penelope Clearwater," said Ginny.

"That's who he was writing to all last summer. He's been meeting her all over the school in secret. I walked in on them kissing in an empty classroom one day. He was so upset when she was - you know - attacked. You won't tease him, will you?" she added anxiously.

"Wouldn't dream of it," said Fred, who was looking like his birthday had come early.

"Definitely not," said George, sniggering.


	33. Book 2 Chapter 13: Return of the Man in Black

Naruto dressed in black jeans and orange hoodie with his headphones was on the street looking for a taxi to Ministry entrance when a car pulled up in front of him. It was the Coopers with Hermione and Betty.

"Hey Naruto, who are you waiting for?" Mr. Cooper asked.

"A taxi, sir." Naruto said.

"Why don't you join us for a snack at a cafe, then we can drop you off." Mrs. Cooper suggested.

"Thanks for the invite ma'am but I shouldn't.." Naruto muttered.

"Nonsense, join us, come on." Mr. Cooper said,

"If you insist," with that he entered the car, and soon drove to a cafe while he listened to Betty tell her parents about him and the others.

Soon, they reached the cafe and Naruto took his bag and briefcase in with him, as soon as he did, he noticed that there were no women in the cafe, 3 men sat in a group in the corner all dressed in fine three piece suits, there was only one employee, who had a blank look in his eyes.

Naruto's senses were tingling, he looked outside the window to see people walking away from the cafe.  
The group was about to sit when Naruto suddenly noticed one of the man reach for something inside his coat, he had seen more than enough people drawing their wands to know the motion, he shouted,

"Stop."

The man stopped so did Coopers and Hermione.

"What are you –?" Mrs. Cooper started.

"I know you are after me, I haven't forgotten your magic from that day in Flourish and Blotts, let them go and I'll come quietly." Naruto said to no one.

The group got concerned, the Cooper adults for Naruto's sanity but then they heard the same chilling voice as the day Naruto mentioned.

"Deal."

All the men around stood up and black smoke covered them, when it settled, the men were left in black robes with white porcelain mask with only eye holes with 'soldier' written on them in Latin.

There was more black smoke, it collected directly in front of Naruto to show it was the man in black, but this time he was also wearing a mask with 'knight' written on it.

"Hermione take everyone out and write a letter to my mom." Naruto said as he raised his hands in the air, as black smoke from Knight's coat started covering him, last thing he saw was Hermione nod and then darkness.


	34. Book 3 Chapter 1: Battle of the Crimson Island

Last thing that Naruto remembered was darkness but now he could hear some people talking.

"What's in the briefcase?"

"Nothing but school books."

'Of course dumbass after I got the briefcase from Dumbledore, I spent the next two months on protection and privacy spells so that no one other than me could enter my gold mine.' Naruto thought.

"And the bag?"

"It has an undetectable extension charm, all Hogwarts stuff and clothes, his journals but not the things we want."

'What are you looking for?' Naruto thought to himself as once again his body was not able to handle the strain of whatever they were doing to him.

It was four hours from abduction, when finally Naruto started to return to consciousness.

He felt that he was bound to something, he realized that he was tied to the roof from metal chains, his legs were bound together with heavy metal chains.  
As he completely returned to consciousness he was hit with a multitude of smells, most prominent among them, copper.

He noticed a bunch of extra details as he was able to look around the room as his vision returned.  
Among the things he noticed were, He was shirtless for one, the ground was cement but the room was actually a tent with only one opening. He waited maybe for few minutes when a big man walked in.

He was maybe 8 feet in height, bulky in a muscular way; many scars littered his upper body since he was also shirtless wearing black pants with hiking boots and fingerless gloves, his white wand, fifteen inches in his left hand and his face was also covered with a white porcelain mask, just like The Man in Black with 'Bear' written in Latin on it. His blazing red hair actually sparked as he moved. He was followed by two 'soldiers' just like back in the Cafe.

"So you are finally awake, welcome Mr. Namikaze to the place where you will be burned to death." Bear said, trying to create some amount of fear in Naruto.

"Sure," Naruto started sarcastically, "don't take it personally if I don't take threats from a man named Bear seriously."  
Naruto said as he tried to move his muscles but couldn't move them as much.

"You read old Latin? I am impressed." Bear said with hints of joy in his voice.

"Not the only reason to be impressed by me So, What did you give me? Poison or some potion or is it a spell that is making it hard for me to move my muscles?" Naruto asked.

"Hahaha," He laughed, and continued.

"Such a brain! It will be so wrong to kill such a mind. So Early." Bear said.

"Oh come on! Do you want me to spell it out for you? I know you don't want to kill me, if you did I'll be dead by now, this whole mind torture won't work on me, neither did your Legilimens. So, you are here, about to physically torture whatever you want out of me, since I am leverage and all, so get on with it man!" Naruto exclaimed back at Bear.

Bear and the soldiers stood silent and still, then there was sudden slow clapping.

CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!

"Marvelous!"

Here he was, The man Naruto was most worried about, The Man in Black or The Knight as his mask now told;

"Sup? Stalker?" Naruto said nonchalantly.

"Impressed to begin with, but I have to ask, since you seem so ready, do you know what is going on here?" Knight asked.

"Somewhat, I am a leverage or resource, aren't I?" Naruto said.

The soldiers recoiled in fear not from Naruto but Bear as he turned around to stare at them. Thinking that they had spilled the beans.

"How did you know?" Bear asked through his clenched teeth no doubt from the sound of it.

"Copper in the air, from Sewanin's blood no doubt. He told you, I have what you need?" Naruto said, a little sadness in his voice.

"Hahaha!" Knight started to laugh maniacally.

"Amazing, and here I took the words of that elf lightly, you really are as smart as your father!" Knight said.

"Yes, You do have something we want. Your father's Journals. However, it seems you have hidden them somewhere we don't particularly want to move yet and for that very reason you will definitely not leave this island alive, Don't want even a smudge about ourselves to get out but unfortunately you might have some useful information related to our plan. So, you are about to die from torture. Believe me. I really am sad about your death." Knight said as he started to leave.

"At least tell this dying man, What plans are that?" Naruto asked Knight's retreating form.

"What every king wants, to be a God." Knight said as he started to exit.1

"Full disclosure, I do believe." Naruto said.

Bear pointed his wand at Naruto and muttered.

"Crucio!"

Naruto released a scream.

Then it started, for the next several hours; Naruto was treated with Cruciatus curse, whips, blades, brass knuckles but he did not say another word only kept screaming in pain.  
Kept repeating the same thing in his mind, a paragraph from his father's journal.

Son, If in your life you ever end up at my path, you might one day be subjected to torture, To fight that somethings are must.

First, never leave your witts son. The wittier you are, less of a threat they consider you and the more they blabber.

So damn on point.  
They had given him some key info, they wanted his father's Journals and brought him on an Island.

The one Island he had read about and knew about the most, the very Island where Irene had her fight with White Witch.

This also had something to do with her, so all he needed to do was somehow send the info about these lunatics being White witch's accomplices and the entire Wizard Community would rain down on these fools.

Second, Art of Occlumency is a must, be trained enough that nobody can ever penetrate your mind it forces their hand to become Physical.

He was naturally gifted with Legilimency and Occlumency and then trained in it as early as he knew what the two branches meant. So, that helped.

Finally, if you are able to get them to become physical, leave your body.

_It can heal but protect your mind, Son._

There is no shame in screaming because screaming from pains will never hurt but regret from giving up will kill you from the inside, save your mind with full force and they will get tired and once they get tired turn the tables on them.

He had to say, no wonder his dad was so rich and considered a genius.  
After he doesn't know how long, the soldiers who had been torturing him, did get tired, even Bear, who had used Cruciatus curse and punched him once with enough force that all the other torture was equal to that single punch finally gave up.

"This kid is not normal!" Bear exclaimed, after getting tired from hearing Naruto scream but say nothing.

At this moment, Naruto's face was not recognisable, blood all over his body, cuts and a couple of open stab wounds, whip marks all over his back and front. The ground at his feet red from his blood.

"Took you lo- long enough - to figure it out."

Naruto's voice was a little hoarse because of all the screaming.

"Boss, even most of our men would spill their deepest darkest secrets by now, this kid is still joking around, We don't have enough magic to continue." One of the soldiers said.

"And even I cannot continue, worse methods might just kill him and killing him without information, brother will not like that, we have to call some guys from the other side. Stupid anti-apparition spells." Bear said more to himself than his soldiers.

'Bear, such an appropriate name,' Naruto thought.

"That will take a couple of hours, boss." The other one said.

"Yeah, let's go, I can use some rest." Bear said as they walked out.

Unknown to him, it had been 28 hours since his abduction but that didn't matter. This was his chance to escape or he will die. As much as he wanted it to be false. He was at his limit, very close to falling apart and not returning.

"Travel: Sun." Naruto said.

The sun tattoo from his left shoulder moved to his palms forming mini suns.

As soon as the mini suns were completed, he grabbed the chains and pulled.

He was lifted off the ground due to constriction of the chains, then he brought his hands together above his head, while keeping the chains between his hands.

A tremendous amount of heat was released from his hands. It was hot enough to weld the chains together and at the same time free his hands.

As that happened, due to the sudden loss or chains helping him stay straight he almost fell on the ground when he was freed.

However he managed to balance himself, then he also melted the chains off his legs.

He then limped next to the only gate in the tent and while he was waiting for someone to come in and that didn't happen for the next 10 minutes.

During which he took deep breaths and focused his magic on the tattoo on his stomach.  
There were multiple purposes of his tattoos.

They were rudimentary Healing spells, Key and another gate to his briefcase and a inprogress invisibility spell.  
As he pumped magic into his tattoo's healing spell his wounds started to heal while also giving out smoke.

"You go check on the kid, I have some business on the other side, so I'll bring some guys with me."  
He heard Bear's voice and then a 'Yes, Sir!'

Soon he heard heavy wing sounds, sound he had heard multiple times back home. When the young wizards and witches went to Mahoutokoro on them.

'Giant Storm Petrels.' Naruto thought.

However he had other matters to focus on, he heard footsteps of a single person coming towards the room.

The man entered and as soon as he did, he was saying,

"What the -!"  
However before he could continue Naruto clicked his fingers right by his ears. The man gave a silent scream and held his ears in pain as he fell down.

'I bet it stings to have your ear drums and voice box boil till melting. 10% of the pain I feel. Now I'm going to fuck you up even more.'

Naruto thought to himself as he bent down next to the man.

Instantly Naruto put his hand on the man's head and psychically knocked him out.

He searched the man's clothes and he found what he was looking for, a black wand.

"Dragon heartstring, I'm surprised." Naruto said sarcasm.

"You going to listen to me?" Naruto asked the wand, then he put the wand next to his ears, he heard an approving roar.

"Good Man." Naruto muttered as he stuck the wand in his jeans back pocket, then he removed the man's mask and saw a random blonde guy,

"I am not one for vengeance but you hurt me." Naruto said,

As he put his hand once again on the man's head, and focused.

The man's eyes shot open and his pupils dilated, Naruto peeked into his mind all the information he got was pretty useless.

It was of a man in his mid-20's going about his life when he went to a date with a raven woman.

She was extremely beautiful, if Naruto had anything to say about it, but then he saw the woman give him some wine, then nothing.

Only black, even what he had done to Naruto was not there.

Naruto found some form of centre in the man's mind and tugged on it and as he did;  
He was thrown out of the man's mind to see the man crying black tears, while black liquid poured out of his ears, nose and mouth.

It was then that Naruto realised.

"Shit, these poor bastards are puppets," He whispered to himself.

He then thought to check something, he took out the wand and waved it above the man.

"Comatosed, this is some pretty strong magic for Bear or even Knight, maybe their ring leader." Naruto thought to himself.

He stood back up and waved his wand.

'Homenum Revelio.' Naruto said.

He spotted only one man in the rest of the tent, going through some kind of book from the looks of it, facing opposite to the gate, so he quietly stepped out and shot.

'Inpulsa!'

A shot of purple colour collided with the man, and soon covered him in purple lighting.

"You may be a puppet but I'm still angry."

Naruto said as he reached the man to see what he was reading and instantly said.

"Oye! Creep, reading another man's diary. I feel no remorse now."  
Naruto said as he looked around for his stuff.

He saw his destroyed broom, there goes the chance of escape.  
He found all his other stuff from his bag all around the tent, all his clothes scattered, his school trunk in the corner, his compact drawer on top of it, if they had pulled it they would gotten all his stationary and some of his other journals, he checked if all things were there, as everything checked out he waved the wand around and all his stuff was pulled into his bag and briefcase. It all came by his feet, he put his hand on it and it opened once again, expanding.  
However as soon as he opened it red and white flames traveled out of it.

"YOU STUPID ASSHOLE, YOU COULD NOT LET US OUT BEFORE! WE WOULD HAVE BURNED ALL OF THEM ALIVE!."

Kurama said as she jumped on him, as Amaterasu also nipped at him. Amaterasu also shed a few tears in his open palm and he drank them.  
His strength returned to him, While he also healed considerably.

"I couldn't, not without a plan. Now, I have one, Amaterasu I need you to take," he said as he pulled two papers, words burned on them,

"These to mom and then to Dumbledore, he will be able to coordinate better with his position, and also take this,"

He said as his sling bag shrunk into a inch long rope, and tied it on her leg, "To him as well, if things turn to shit, he will know who to pass my work on to, go girl, full speed."  
He finished as he caressed her head, she lifted off the ground and turned to a red and golden beam of fire as she flew away from the Island.

"What about us?"

"You and I are going to hold the fort down till we get backup," Naruto said.

"Hold the fort down against what?"

"A force of unimaginable power, unknown army with at least two lieutenants."

"Sounds fun."

Kurama turned from her chibi form to a 4 feet high kitsune.  
Then she took a whiff of the air.

"No humans but many creatures around us."

"That's obvious this is the Crimson Island, the Island formed by the battle between Irene and the White witch. They summoned, formed or did a lot of shit, that needed up with this Island as a epicentre of the beast population." Naruto told her as he sneaked out.

He had no idea what time it was, but as the sinking rays of the sun hit him, he realised it was almost night time.

Which was good for him, he could see perfectly in the dark with the help of kitsune vision, an ability he got as a Beast holder of Kurama.  
He suddenly heard wings in the distance.

"Let's go, they are back."  
Naruto told her as he ran towards a tree, he was barefoot and had been climbing trees every day during his morning run.

So, he climbed up the tree pretty fast using his momentum.

Kurama closely behind him and the duo quickly vanished into the tree line.

He will spend the next four hours tracking and travelling to the 'other side.'

* * *

Let's head back in time to 29 hours from abduction. In Kushina's office,

It was a big office, with windows on three sides and a wall on the fourth. There was a big desk facing the solid wall, between the desk and the wall there were two armchairs and a large couch around a coffee table.

On the desk there were a number of photo frames on one side and a stack of papers on the other. On the desk sat a woman.

This was Japanese Minister of magic, Kushina Uzumaki.

She was a woman of slender, but feminine build, fair skin, violet eyes, and red hair which reached her ankles with shoulder length strands that framed both sides of her face and a black clip that parts her hair to the left.

She was dressed in white shirt and black pants (I have no idea what the ones with big at ankle part are called, but those or whatever you want to imagine her in) sitting behind the wooden brown desk.

One of them was the latest photo of her with her daughters, her hands around her daughters all three dressed in fancy gowns, from her last birthday.

The second one was what she looked at most of her free time, in it what started out as a photo of a boy with a Kitsune and a Phoenix, now had eleven people and three creatures in it, also it was a lot bigger than what it started out as.

Naruto had his arms around a boy with glasses and another boy with red hairs, then a girl with curly hair, another white haired girl and two girls younger than him one with red hair and other blonde, two identical boys riding broomsticks above them, a very old couple, a giant man and a old man in spectacle.

Name tags were present below their feet, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Betty, Fred, George, Flamel couple, Hagrid and Of course, Dumbledore.  
With Kurama now, 15 feet in height sleeping behind them and Amaterasu now at least 6 feet big on Naruto's head and a white fully mature white unicorn.  
Each day she looked at this photo in an odd mix of sadness and happiness, sad because she and her daughters were not in it, happy because at least he had found people that loved him, as much as he loved everyone.

While she read through her mail, which her secretary had brought, these were different from official letters.

They mostly were normal, since she did not look like a mother of three children she got a lot of letters asking her out on dates or from her daughters about random things or even fan mail or even letters about how she could improve upon her works but amongst them was a letter from someone she did not expect.

From Hermione Granger,

URGENT!

She knew the name so she instantly flipped it and opened it.

Madam Minister,

You might not know this but I am a friend of Naruto,it is very urgent but Naruto was kidnapped by a group of people in black robes and white mask, with weird things written on their masks, Naruto told me to write to you about it,I don't know when you will get this or how you will handle this or where he is but I was just following what he told me to do.

The writing was very sloppy but she made out the letter instantly, got into high alert, but before she could take any action about an already 24 hours late letter from the timestamp of it, she was interrupted by a fire ball coming towards her office.

It's arrival marked by sounds of alert and it broke through her office window and stopped right at her table, formed into a Phoenix who dropped a roll of parchment on her table and then burst into flames right away dropping a single red and gold feather in the place where it had been.

She instantly picked up the roll of parchment and saw that letters were burned on it.

I wouldn't have made contact if it wasn't urgent, but if you have gotten Hermione's letter you might know I was kidnapped, this is to give you more info, I am at Crimson island, the entire island is crawling with people in black robes and white mask, now from what I have gotten, everyone with mark of soldier on their mask are puppets under a ringleaders control, a ringleader with at least three confirmed lieutenants,

A half naked man, calling himself Bear, a man dressed in black suit, named Knight and even the White witch, I am trying to find the main base but I'll need backup,

Naruto.

As soon as she read all the names she shouted,

"Hanna!"

A women dressed in a office dress ran into the office,

"Yes Ma'am!?" She asked.

"Bear and Knight have been spotted on Crimson island, contact the task force now! And send Irene squad to my office." She told her.

The secretary's eye widened and she ran straight out, missing Kushina's wet eyes.

Within seconds Irene's squad was in Kushina's office. All of them battle ready. All of them looked exasperated.

"What Kushina? You just gave the intel on Knight's and Bear's location and you want to chat?" Irene asked.

This had been her mission over the period of last year. she had been continuously trying to track the group down known as, Children of the Beast.

Main figures being two individuals known as The Knight and The Bear.

Both highly dangerous committing acts of terrorism throughout the world, combine death toll of 396 people and also linked to kidnapping of about over 1000 people from through out the world.

"It's something I can only tell you," Kushina tried saying, she was clearly trying to hold back her tears.

"What is it Kushina?" Irene asked.

"It's Naruto, they took Naruto to the Island because of us, we didn't protect him when he needed us, he has been with them for more than 28 hours now." Kushina said as she started crying.

Irene also lost her footing at this, her students just stood there in bewilderment, these were possibly the strongest women in the world but loved a single person.

A person who was in custody of two of the biggest and strongest Psychopaths in the world, also added to the fact that he was just 13 and fighting and surviving them, there were actually no words to describe the feelings flowing through these two red heads.

Irene got up and didn't speak, just walked straight out of the office.  
Kushina just sat back down on the chair and kept crying, Irene was followed by her students but Irene turned to them, they could see the magic and anger in her eyes and said.

"If they had done anything to him, I am vaporizing every single person I see, I don't care who. So stay back and tell everyone to stay back."

With that she left, magic emitting from her in waves as she did. It had already been 30 hours from abduction.

* * *

Let's go back to 29 hours from abduction once again.

Dumbledore was in his study, reading a book when fire appeared in front of him, from which Amaterasu appeared.

She dropped a roll of parchment in front of him and started to claw at the black rope on her legs, which Dumbledore removed and she was once again gone. He unrolled the parchment and read.

You might not know this but I was taken hostage by a couple of lunatics named Knight and Bear, they tortured me to get info on Dad's journals which I have hidden in my vault in Gringotts, they tried to make it off as abduction to gain leverage, my research is in the bag I have send you, if I don't make it. Pass it along to someone worthy but that's not all, it's how anyone knew about me having the journals, only people in British ministry of magic knew about it, but if these guys are after my dad's journal they must be after his research on one mystery he did not solve, The Children of Beast, they are back, this time better prepared with spies everywhere, I trust you to handle this if I don't make it sir.

"Good lord -!" Dumbledore muttered with a blank look in his eyes.

* * *

Coming back to 34 hours from abduction or the current time.

Back at Crimson Island, Naruto was chewing some berries he had found along the way, his briefcase in his pocket, Yes, pocket.  
He had placed a shrinking spell on it, while that made it unusable, it was easier to carry around with him.

He had been travelling around for the last four hours, following used trails and tracking movement patterns of the Giant Storm Petrels, while also tracking troops, he had counted about 80 people in groups of at least two.

What he had found odd or notable was that there were always an even number of people in the group, he also found more than enough food to get his strength back.

Right now he was looking down at one of the major resources camps in the area, this post also had Messenger Pigeons.

They were used for short distance but fast communication.

What he was actually after was resources, he spotted supplements, Brooms, food, drinks and something else, anything else.

He had a plan of attack but he needed to make sure of something first, that is why he was alone, it was a mission for Kurama.

He has been waiting for her for the last 30 minutes, he heard rattling and was instantly on alert, then he saw Kurama drop in front of him.

"You were right, something big is up and all the creatures know it,"

"What did you find out?" Naruto asked.

"They are grouping together in places where these masked men cannot find them and exploit them. They also say some new magic is flowing through this place, dense and dangerous."

"I knew it, all these people, the lieutenants and the army of puppets, they are planning to do something big." Naruto said.

"So what now?"

"We remove hostages." Naruto took out the briefcase and it grew back in size.

"Kurama take this bag around the Island, all the spots where they are hidden."  
He took out a small pouch, the same one he used to use before he started school, from the bag and tied it around his waist.

"Get everyone inside this, settle them, it's empty and has more than enough space. I will try to buy you time."  
Kurama tried to argue.

"And you will not return, unless all are safely stalked and away, Kurama. That's an order." Naruto finished as he shoved the bag to her.

"You are a dick, you know. You die and I will have to ascend."

"Better than you dying, you will be among your people so go now." Naruto said as he remained stern.

"Don't die on me, please." She pleaded.

"I'll try, now start with mountains, GO!" Naruto told Kurama as she flew away, he watched her leave.

"Don't die? Who the hell goes to battle with the dream of dying, you just accept the fact that you might and roll with it, don't die, I swear she needs more people time, asking people not to die," Naruto muttered to himself as he took deep breaths.

"You scold the people you love, enough release let's roll bitch."  
Naruto said as he jumped from his tree to next and then next until he was a top of the tree nearest to the post.

"Don't wear a shirt when travelling among branches, it you leave fibre, you can be easily tracked, the jerk never said how to fight the sensation of wind on your nipples - maybe the torture did get to my head."  
Naruto muttered to himself as he fiddled around his pouch to get Peruvian instant darkness powder.

"At the end of the day only old friends come to your freaking aid."

What he meant by that was, in his early years Naruto used to create all sorts of fun stuff, before he knew what the hell curses were all his energy was spent on creating random fun magic products, just like a pair of teens would do in the near future.

However he stopped that when he found out about Irene and he diverted his attention away. He still did the tinkering with the joke stuff but they were no longer his priority.

The pouch that he had with him contained some of his products, like Peruvian Instant Darkness powder or Handmade Fireworks and other stuff.

He took out about six stones of said powder with his left hand and then moved his right hand on his sun tattoo.

It moved again but completely on his right hand. He marked his target and jumped.

As he was about to hit his peak height he did a flip and rotation while throwing the stones at specific places, nobody had noticed anything till the powder exploded and covered a twice the area as the post in pitch black smoke.  
On the other side Naruto emerged and jumped straight into a Hegde and covered his head, because as soon as he did there was an explosion that rocked the entire area, throwing all the robed men away and knocking them out, the shockwave also clearing the smoke away.

"Holy shit! What kind of idiot wizard keeps explosives around when he can cause so by casting a spell? What the hell are these guys planning?" Naruto said as he instantly climbed up a tree once again.

It was through God's grace that he had seen the mark that signified explosive material on the crates he was landing on, that led him to instantly move his ass out of the way or he would be nothing but a splash of blood and skin.

'Come now, show me the direction of your base.'

Naruto thought as he stalked the surrounding and just like he predicted, people started to appear in the now burning clearing but that was not what he was looking for, he stalked some more and finally his targets appeared.

The Knight and The Bear, they both appeared from the same direction together as they walked up to the site.

He didn't dare move, he was outnumbered and outgunned, he stayed silent and unmoving as he read Bear's body language, who appeared to be throwing a tantrum to the Knight, who was clearly trying to calm him down, then Bear blew up.

"I've had enough! Find the kid, he destroyed our backup but he has to be near here, leave no stone unturned but do not kill him! He is mine."

The Knight pulled on Bears arm and said something to him in low voice, after which Bear immediately pulled away,

"I don't care, I'll handle this mission! You can head back if you want to! All of you Go and Get me that kid!" Bear shouted as he turned around and left back towards the base.

All the soldiers left around the spot and the Knight stared at Bear's retreating form for a little while and then black smoke started to come from his body finally pushing him off the ground and Naruto did not take his eyes off Knight till he saw him disappear into the clouds.

'Don't know whether to be glad he is gone or sad that he escaped.'  
Naruto thought as he stayed long enough for people to scatter.  
Then started jumping from tree to tree, suddenly he spotted four soldiers, checking the hedges for him, he jumped on top of a tree that was directly above one of the soldiers.

He jumped down directly above said man, instantly knocking him out. Knowing the sound will attract attention, he shot for the farthest guy.

'Inpulsa'  
Shocking him to unconsciousness.

Then the third guy tried to fire a spell at him which Naruto instantly blocked and shot a non verbal spell at the fourth guy knocking him out, the third guy and Naruto dueled for two more shots each, until Naruto finally overpowered him, knocking him out as well. As fast as he could, he dragged the guys together while also taking their wands with him.

"I cannot keep doing this, I need to make it to the base without more shit." Naruto muttered to himself.

He could not move above, in the trees anymore, he needed his strength for the next step of his plan.

'Where are you Mom, Irene?' Naruto slowly moved towards the direction he thought to be the bear's base.

What he did not expect was to reach a sudden cliff in the forest.

The base was nothing like he had ever imagined, a couple of dragons carrying stuff around, giant birds carrying people around but that was not what actually surprised him, it were two giant boats, two sailing boats floating in air people in chains getting carried out of them, getting placed on a giant circular stage around a giant rune circle and in the middle of it a tomb.

Bear overlooked everything from the top of a Giant Storm Petrels, now he didn't know what exactly was going on here but he knew the signs, sacrifice, a tomb and so much magic pouring out of the place that he was suffocating.

'A dark summoning or necromancy?' Naruto thought he was too deep into this to be this afraid but he couldn't help it, they needed the explosive material to create an actual rain of blood.  
He took deep breaths and then refocused his mind, he then gave the crater a once over and then he spotted it, a tent away from everything small visible sparks of magic rising from it every so often.

"I have a very bad idea."  
Naruto said to himself, he really needed to stay with his partner for sometime if he was ever going to do something like this again.

"Wait! why am I thinking about doing this again?" Naruto said out loud. Then he reached for the one good thing that came out of his stunt in almost himself blowing up.

He reached inside his pouch to take out a broomstick he had stolen from the post and some firecrackers.

"Dad, watch my six." With that he mounted the broom and took off, as he flew to the appropriate height he lit the firecracker and threw it, creating a large flash of colour and a loud.

BOOM!

* * *

It had been 40 hours from the time of abduction and on the other side of the island, something different was going on.

Unknown to Naruto or anybody else on the island just outside the barrier that hid the island from the non-magic world.

A fleet of 48 ships was surrounding the massive island and on a ship with Indian flag, a turbaned man in white kurta with heavy beard was looking over the island from the nose of the ship.

Behind him a huge wooden table at which people from all Asian communities like Vietnam, China, Bhutan, Japan, Turkey and so on, were gathered.

Even Irene, her patience running thin because he was saying nothing and had been staring at the Island for an hour now.

"As much as I respect you Honour Singh, my patience is running out, let me go!" Irene told the Indian man.

"I do not know why you are so emotional but if you weren't, you would notice a split barrier around the island, any force from our attack would be distributed equally throughout the barrier, and heavy attacks would alert them instantly." The man said, he continued.

"Knight has already left, Bear is the only one left as scouts have informed us, we have to be very particular about our next play, so I suggest you calm down." He finished in monotone.

Irene wanted to say something but couldn't, all the people selected for this task force were the best of the best, Honour Singh.

The man that was in charge of assault teams was said to be born without emotions each move he made was calculated and if he made moves they had never failed.

So, she had no choice but to follow orders. That's why she was still waiting along with everyone else, then they heard it.

BOOM!

* * *

The bursting of the cracker and everyone looked at the figure in the air, it was Naruto, shirtless, shoeless thinner than she thought he would be, but still fighting.

"Irene lead the assault team into the grounds, our informant has been forced to make a move so that means the enemy is also making a move, meaning all on the island are in fight mode,"

"Ladies and Gentlemen to your posts, don't leave the sky, land or the sea without eyes, nobody leaves the Island without us finding out, Hostages rescue should be alerted immediately, GO!" Singh shouted as soon as the blast occurred, and there was heavy movement at both sides.

BOOM!

As soon as the boom occurred, Bear looked up to see Naruto.

"EVERYONE! GET ME THAT KID!" Bear shouted, he then turned to the 'soldiers' moving the hostages around, "FINISH THE RITUAL, NOW!"

With that he pulled on the rope around his bird's neck and he also flew after Naruto.

As for Naruto, he was currently flying with more than 50 people on brooms and birds, with Bear at the very end, his weight making him the slowest flier amongst all.

Naruto needed to stop these guys from completing whatever he needed, He suddenly got an idea so, while weaving through the barrage of spells being shot at him he dived.  
Some 'soldiers' shot past; while others followed behind him, Naruto flew straight towards the pair of Dragons, he moved below one of the Dragons and then they heard.

'Relashio!'

They did not know, just how angry the Dragons would be; both of them instantly turned to the people following Naruto and started attacking them, filling the entire sky above him in fire.

Some of the men that were able to escape the assault of Dragons continued following Naruto who was now flying close to the ground, so they followed him close to the ground, exactly like he wanted.

He flew straight towards the lonely tent, a few feet from the tent, Naruto pulled hard and he went straight up, his hours of training in Hogwarts paying off.

However the ones following him didn't have his level of training so they crashed into the tent and as they did, there was a huge explosion and huge flash of light launched from the tent to the sky, a dome of blue light appeared suddenly and as soon as it did it disappeared.

"YOU BASTARD!" Bear shouted.

However just then, The men on the altar started to chant something in unison, in an ancient language.

"YES!" Bear shouted once again his mood completely changed.

It happened way too fast, for Naruto to process it, at the stage and circle which was still very far from Naruto and all around,the men that were following him suddenly went unconscious, life less was more like it, they went limp where they stood, the stage exploded.

Naruto felt like he saw each and every person explode right in front of him, So much blood went in the air it was impossible to see but Naruto could not blink, the blood that went up rained down on the circle in the ground covering it completely in blood out of which shot black smoke, but not like Knights, no the amount of smoke that was shot up in the air.

Instantly plunged the entire island and the sea surrounding it into instant darkness, then as fast as it had appeared the smoke started condensing back at the circle in four distinct beings, now everything was back to normal if one can call it that.

Bear abandoned pursuing Naruto and dropped down by the figures still covered in smoke, Naruto also flew near them as he neared the place, he realised just how big it was, he landed about 20 feet from the figures, his eyes on Bear, it was finally that the figures completely formed into beings.

Three women and two men, including Bear, The tallest woman was 6'5" feet, slender and wearing a skin tight black dress with robes, she had waist length white hair and a porcelain mask, this mask was however not plain it had markings that identified it as a snake.

The other two women were both 6 feet, wearing similar clothes as the first one, but one of the women had black hair in a bob-cut, while the other one had black hair in an ankle length ponytail,both wearing masks with marks he identified as a cat and a bird.

The man apart from Bear was the most intriguing one, he wore clothes similar to Knight but his mask or masks were the most different, his mask had three faces, One facing normally in the front but the other two faces on either side of his head. With markings of Dragons on all three of them.

"Took you long enough." The Bird said to Bear.

"Well as you can see I had some problems." Bear said, pointing to Naruto.

"Oh hello, didn't see you there," Snake said as she stepped forward towards Naruto.

"It's alright, let me guess, Snake?" Naruto said as he had his wand up in a defensive stance.

"No, Leviathan." She said, she then pointed to cat, "Panther";

To bird "Raven";

To Dragon, "Dragon, and I believe you already know,"  
She waved her hand in front of Bear's face and the words disappeared to form the markings of Bear on his mask, "Bear." She finished.

"All remaining children of the Beast, I presume." Naruto said.

He could feel the magic coming from them, he wouldn't stand a chance against them but he needed to buy as much time as he could; people had to be coming to the island.

"Why yes, we are, now I believe that you have outlived your purpose." Leviathan said as a wand formed in her hand.

"No sister, he is mine!" Bear interjected.

Leviathan looked at Naruto then at Bear.

"Fine. I'll let you handle him, rest of us will leave to a secondary location, meet us th -!" she was saying but a spell was fired at her face which she instantly deflected.

"Not so fast," a Vietnamese man said.

Soon the entire group was surrounded by aurors.

They appeared from all the directions, their wands pointed at them, soon a white and red Dragon appeared and then caught red fire, fire dropped right next to him out of which stepped Irene.

"Ah! The Scarlet Witch. I have been waiting so long to kill you!" Leviathan said.

"Well then, I'll let you try." Irene said as she stepped in front of Naruto.

"Everybody leave, I'll finish this off and meet you at the secondary location." Leviathan ordered.

"I am not going anywhere without that kid's head in my hands." Bear said.

"Ugh! Alright! Rest of you leave." Leviathan said irritated.

Without another word, the rest of the Children of Beast just disappeared in flashes of light.

"Why are you letting them go?" Naruto asked Irene.

"Both of them are extremely strong, if we are able to capture them here, the rest will be easier to catch." Irene told him.

"Yeah, yeah that's right, let's go already." Naruto said but Irene turned to him.

"No! Not you! Go with hostage rescue back to the boats, this is our fight now."  
She said as she held his shoulders, feeling just how broad they have gotten in the last 2 years.

"What? I can handle myself, let me see this till the end." Naruto said.

"I know you can! You have done extremely beautifully but now let us handle this, you go.." Irene was saying.

"I am sorry to interrupt this, and I am not joking, beautiful reunion but we need to be on our way and fast, so."  
Leviathan said as the wand in her hand started to grow in size until it was the same size as Irene's staff but this staff was like a wooden snake, she held the staff with both her hands as she thrusted it into the ground while saying.

"Begone."

The entire crater was covered in white light, and when it was cleared there was nothing left but just an arc of land behind Irene.

Who also had her staff buried in the ground, even Naruto had his shield up, protecting both himself and Irene.

"Ahh you both survived," Leviathan said.

Bear got his excitement back and raised his wand and fired a spell, as it was travelling towards them another figure in white flames dropped in front of them and deflected the spell, when the flames settled there stood Kurama, in her 6 feet big form.

"Took you long enough!" Naruto shouted.

"This Island has more magical creatures than anywhere in the world! All of them stubborn as hell! It took time to set all of them straight. At least, I came before you were a burning chunk of ash and before you ask the briefcase is safe." Kurama replied back in annoyance.

"Yeah! Yeah!" Naruto said as he stood next to Kurama.

"You are a beast handler? Meaning I can kill you at your full power! Hahahah." Bear said as soon as he saw Kurama.

"I mean of course you should try but at least give me my wand for a fair fight." Naruto said.

Irene wanted to protest but now she was outnumbered if she send Naruto away their would be no chance she would be able to handle both of them alone.

"Oh we seem to be having a couple of vendetta's at our hands, so how about it, me and Irene have our fight away from Bear and Kid here, two fair fights if you will." Leviathan said.

Irene was about to deny but Naruto said.

"I can handle myself. Finish her off and then you can help me finish this clown." Naruto told her.

Irene looked at him and saw a man, a man with waist length white hair and two red lines running from his eyes all the way to his chin, then she saw a man who looked quite similar to Naruto but with longer blonde hair.  
All of them saying the same thing.

"Believe me."

Irene couldn't help but turn to Leviathan and say.

"You heard him. Let's go."

Irene and Leviathan disapperated away, and within seconds Naruto heard a huge boom in the distance.  
So, without wasting any time he said to Bear.

"Are you going to give me my wand or what?" Naruto asked.

Bear reached into his pocket and retracted Naruto's wand, and threw it to Naruto, as soon as Naruto caught the wand he pocketed it in his pouch and put a hand on Kurama, while whispering.

"Be ready for a joint transformation, we might end up having a fist fight."

She nodded and turned into a tattoo on his right shoulder.

"Are you ready, boy!" Bear said as he also took out his wand.

"Yeah! Let's go, Tela Undique! (Shower of Arrows)"

Many blue arrows formed around Naruto and shot themselves at Bear.

Bear just waved his wand in front of him, diagonally low to high and out of nowhere lava appeared and formed a wall of lava in front of him.

The arrows were only able to dent the wall, for some seconds as more lava flowed to fill those dents.

Bear followed by thrusting his wand in a knife like fashion and the wall of lava turned into a stream and moved towards Naruto.

He however had more than enough time to put the wand in front of his mouth and blow while shouting.

"Suiryū! (water stream)"

A jet of water erupted from the tip of his wand and collided with the lava stream, turning it into stone, while also filling the space full of steam, as soon as Naruto was covered in steam he continued.

"Ventis (wind)!"

The steam started to move around due to the winds but before Naruto could do anything else, Bear's voice came.

"That's not how you use a wind spell, this is how, VENTIS!"

Bear as the epicentre. The winds spread out around him with enough force to actually throw Naruto back.

However he did a flip in the air and landed back on the ground and slide back.

Bear just stood there with his wand held high. As he spotted Naruto, he stopped pushing magic into the spell.

"I thought you said you can handle yourself but - I haven't even started fighting you yet."

Naruto could still hear the sound of battle between Irene and Leviathan.

That battle also didn't sound like it was anywhere near end and if he didn't end Bear right here, right now. Irene might be the one getting ambushed.

He turned to his partner.

'What the hell should I do? Should I release the flames?' He asked Kurama.

'If you did now and you are not able to control it, the damage from the fallout will kill you, even if you have mended your torture wounds they are not healed, it will put way too much strain on your body even cause internal damage.' Kurama truthfully answered.

'You may be right, but if I don't push this battle into the final stage now, I won't be able to release the flames then.'

'We have only done so in training, this will be hard.'

'Better here than in the middle of a large population.'

This entire conversation happened in Naruto's mind in a matter of seconds.

So, he held his wand with both his hands like holding a sword in front of him and said.

"Futuri Gehennae (Come Hellfire.)"

The effect of this spell was around Naruto's feet.

A circle of black flames erupted and then from that circle Fire started to emerge like water, moving as waves and dancing around.

Some flames even started to burn the remains of whatever was around them. While other flames then moved towards Bear, who had realised the real danger behind the spell, could only mutter.

"Shit."

He put his wand up and the flames that had just reached him, collided with a red shield.

Bear could feel the heat, the black fires seemed to have their own mind and he wouldn't back down.

However the more he held up his shield, more the fires from the surrounding seemed to be getting angry that Bear stood in their path so with newfound force the flames converged on Bear.

After some time they were able to completely envelop him, he did not scream but he was indeed getting burned.

Naruto was burned more than enough time to know the smell of burning flesh, after sometime when Naruto knew for sure that he could no longer control the flames, he muttered.

"Exite Gehennam! (Go away Hellfire.)"

The flames stopped where they were and retraced back to the circle at Naruto's feet, and then the circle vanished leaving a scorched circle at his feet.

Naruto had thought Bear would be an unmoving mess when the spell ended.

He was right for the most part, there was indeed mess but he was not unmoving, on the contrary he was pissed and he was burned, a man who was burned all over his body, his skeleton visible in some places, was walking straight towards him.

"You actually meant to kill me? Hahahaha I didn't think you had it in you."

"Well, better you, than me right?" Naruto said.

However he did not have any intention of killing Bear.

The spell he had used only burned what Naruto wanted, that was what it meant by control, where it went was not in Naruto's control that was above his pay grade for now and Naruto had only wanted to burn Bear's magic.

What he did not or could not account for was that Bear and probably all his other 'siblings' were composed entirely of magic, hence their body was burned.

"Bad for you, you have released my seal, and now My true form will be released and there is no way you can survive that, Hahahahaha!"

Bear said as his left over body started to, what appeared to be melting or more accurately it was turning into lava, soon he was nothing but a big spot of Lava on the ground.

"That's a very non threatening true form to be honest." Naruto muttered.

He instantly regretted it as a jaw of Lava and stone appeared from the spot, a bear's jaw.  
It was followed by the entire head and then a paw, the lava was getting close to Naruto. He started to back away from it, later as the spot increased in size he was running with all his might.

"What the hell are you?" He turned around to see an almost 80 feet high bear made of Lava and stone emerging from the ground.

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME! AN ACTUAL LAVA BEAR,WHY?"

Naruto said as he ran with his complete might.

'Is it time?' Came Kurama's sarcastic voice in his head.

'DON'T YOU GIVE ME SALT NOW! WE HAVE TO GO FOR A NATURE ASSISTED JOINT TRANSFORMATION IF WE STAND ANY CHANCE IN THE WORLD OUT OF THIS SHIT, SO DON'T GIVE ME SALT AND TELL ME HOW FAR IS THE NEAREST DAMN BODY OF WATER!' Naruto shouted in his head.

He waited for a reply from Kurama while he ran from the lava spilling all around from the emerging Lava Bear.

'But we have never done that before, it's an ability we have unlocked only recently, there is absolutely no guarantee the prayer will work!' Kurama pleaded.

'Kurama, even if we try to get close to him in our joint transformation, we will get burned, making the entire activity redundant, if we want to stand even an inch of a chance we have to go for the water Kitsune,'

'Wouldn't the fire Kitsune be a better choice?'

'Normally I'll agree with you, out of the two choices we have, a fire Kitsune or water Kitsune, fire would be better considering our predicament but we need Amaterasu and she has travelled a lot, she won't be able to be here any time soon. If we are able to find a body of water, we will save magic and last longer. Instead of burning through our reserves to create a giant Kitsune of fire.'

'Considering you can successfully pull that off.'

'You are right about that, so?'

'50 meters on your left.' Kurama told him.

So, Naruto followed the directions given to him by her and ran, pushing as hard as he could. As a matter of fact he was pushing himself so hard that one of the stabs wounds he had gotten during his torture opened once again but he couldn't waste any single bit of magic now, more so when he heard the voice.

"COME ON NOW KID! WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL YOUR BRAVADO NOW! HAHAHAHA!"

The Bear was looking around the place for Naruto, he knew that Naruto was not dead, it would be too damn easy now.

"I KNOW YOU ARE OUT THERE! COME OUT OR I'LL DROWN THIS ENTIRE ISLAND IN THE MOST PUREST FORM OF THE EARTH, COME ON NOW, KID!"

With that Bear spewed a large amount of lava from his mouth in a random direction, it burned the forest surrounding where it hit, but the lava lost its heat, leaving a large mountain where it hit.

He did the same thing again in a random direction with the same results, not knowing where Naruto was.

Naruto reached a huge lake at the edge of the forest, his pants now drenched in his blood but he didn't stop.

He continued his run and dove, right before he jumped he said in japanese.

"Oh spirit of water, merge with the beast within me, and fight with me, listen to my prayers as your child, I beg you!"

He dived in, for some time nothing happened, his blood mixed with the water as he sank deeper and deeper into the water, on the surface a blood red spot appeared.

It started growing in size and inside water, Naruto always relaxed inside water.

No matter how hard he tried to stay awake, he could never do so.

It had happened to him many times before, from the very beginning as long as he could whenever he went for a swim, he would go deeper and deeper, sometimes until no sunlight was left and he would fall asleep.

He could hear nothing else, see nothing else, he would just go limp, many times waking up later to find himself floating on the surface.  
He had thought he would at least be able to stay awake and alert in this extremely dangerous situation but he was wrong.

He was slowly being hit with all the pain and exhaustion he had been feeling for so long now but this was the first time he heard a voice, a very sweet female voice.

'Isn't it peaceful here?' She asked him.

'It truly is.' He truthfully answered.

'So why aren't you letting yourself loose and just drifting, what is holding you back?'

'People need my help.'

'Haven't you done enough? You saved your friends, not once but twice; you suffered most horrific torture to message the world about these horrible men, you spend all your free time trying to find cure for people who haven't asked for it, you still love your family unconditionally even though you have never met them? Or haven't met them for years? Don't you think you deserve the rest? Don't you think you deserve more?'

'I do.'

'But?'

'I don't know how to say it, I believe the best way would be to say. I want to do all those things a little more, I want to love, I want to be lost, I want to learn, I want to make sure when Kurama finally ascends to the her hall of beast, she is so strong that no one gives her shit, I want to do enough that Amaterasu's last flight means an era has ended, does any of this make sense?'

He heard the most beautiful laughter he had heard in his life.

'It does!' The voice sounded excited, it continued 'then what are you waiting for Child,'

'Wake up' 'Wake up!'

Naruto woke up with a startle when he heard Kurama's voice, he was floating away in water.

'What happened? Focus!'

'Yeah' Naruto went as he looked around for a source of the voice, he clapped his hand and molded his magic.

Above the surface of water, Bear had noticed the ever growing spot of red on the lake because of his height, he had slowly made his way towards it.

He wanted to make sure that Naruto was indeed dead, before he headed off to the other side of the island, where a size where a 200 feet long, white scaled snake with red eyes fighting a 50 feet long and 30 feet high White and red dragon, the miles of area surrounding the two of them in ruins.

Red fire burning bright and blue lightning sparking off from the snake from time to time, with his new height Bear could also see the boats surrounding the Island but he also knew, no matter how many and how old the wizards and witches on those boats might be.

Regrettably, in his opinion, the only people that were actually any hindrance were the two they were fighting at this movement or for his joy one.

However, he had to make sure after all, the last time he had thought that the kid was unmoving and on verge of death.

He had sprang back to life and almost ruined their plans, so he walked to the lake burning and destroying the path that he took. So, he was about to fill the lake with lava and go to his sister to finish Irene off.

As he was looking at the blood spot he noticed that it was not growing anymore; he took a deep breath which actually created a huge suction in the area and was about to breath but then he was surprised when a huge eye opened in the lake moving the blood spot around.

To his surprise a 80 feet huge Fox made entirely of water with glowing yellow eyes jumped at him.

The Fox having attacked Bear from below straight for the neck and disoriented Bear enough to tackle him into the ground causing a huge tremor throughout the island.

Bear however did not let up, he shoved both of his claws straight into Fox's abdomen which normally would have loosened the bite's power but instead of shouting in pain, the Fox tightened it's hold on Bear's neck, making Bear actually release a pain filled roar but they were far from done, using the claws that were still inside the Fox.

Bear used his strength to push the Fox off him and even in pain used his superior strength rotated to put the Fox under him but this was a mistake since while turning them around.

Bear had released the Fox's claws from under him which he has used to tackle the Bear in the ground in the first place also pulling the Fox away from the lake for it's single long tail to materialise but now Fox had three additional appendages to put up a fight.  
So, now Fox grabbed Bear's claws while also wrapping its tail around Bear's neck, It pulled on the tail part and pushed off the claw part, putting all its strength in it's limbs.

It was able to pull Bear's claws out and also choke him a little during all this but during this tussle it's bite had weakened enough for Bear to pull away and also roll away and out of Fox's reach.

Now two things were noteworthy;

One, out of the bite wound on Bear's neck, black Liquid was leaking out of it instead of Lava as one would expect.

Second, if someone looked closely now, they would see even through the body made of water, along with red claw marks one could make out a large red slash on the fox's abdomen, at the same place where Naruto's slash mark would be.

"YOU PIECE OF SHIT! I AM GOING TO KILL YOU! I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU!"

Bear once again took a deep breath but this one was different because as he did, the surrounding plant life died.

Bear's entire body released a huge amount of heat, enough heat for some spots of Fox's body started to steam but Fox did not move nor did it move it's focus from Bear.

It waited and just as Bear was about to breath out his attack. Fox sprang, bright yellow lightning dancing around its body, Bear released a pure beam of red hot magic at Fox.

Fox held out it's right hand taking the full brunt of the beam but it did not stop, it kept running towards Bear, finally it reached close enough to grab hold of Bear's mouth.

Even though it's hand was suffering from burns it pushed Bear's head back, coursed all the lightning to it's left and shoved it straight through where Bear's heart would be but instead of a heart.

It pulled out a stone Bear statue from the other side and pulled it's hand back out, then with precise aim threw it at the Boat that had the Indian flag on it.

They all heard a 'NOOOOO!' from Leviathan, as soon as it threw the statue but the Fox didn't stop.

The Fox turned towards Leviathan and Irene and ran straight towards Leviathan but as soon as it reached Leviathan and crashed into it to disorient it, the water fox broke apart and from it's falling body Kurama carrying a limp Naruto on her back jumped on Irene's back.

"YOU BLOODY IDIOT! WE ARE PARTNERS! WE SHARE THE DAMAGE!"

Kurama shouted as soon as she landed on Irene's back. She was visibly crying but Naruto did not reply, he grabbed Kurama's feet with his good hand and pressed on Irene's back with his damaged hand and muttered with the last of his magic and breath.

"Legilimen."

* * *

Irene and Kurama both opened their eyes in a very familiar place, they were outside the house that Naruto grew up in.

Kurama is the size of a normal grizzly bear and Irene in her favourite White kurta and black jeans, they both looked at each other and then at the front door, they both moved to the front door to find it open.

They walked in to find everything as they last remembered it but what surprised them both were noises coming from the back yard.

They walked out to see a much older, maybe in his early 20's Naruto playing with Amaterasu and the Occamys that had once stumbled into their back yard.

"Took you two long enough!" Naruto said.

"What? What is this?" Irene asked.

"It's my world, it's completely in my control, the time, our mind and our emotions are completely mine, while we spend the next 100 years here, the time spent outside will be 1/10 of a second, just enough for us to live an entire lifetime without losing anything outside." Naruto answered.

"Why?"

Kurama asked.

"Because the chances of me surviving this are next to zero and also when I was biting down on Bear, I drank some of his blood and for some seconds I was connected to the source of their power; that's how I knew that they can only be killed when they are in their released forms and also I found out one more thing, Leviathan is the strongest amongst the Children of Beast, 10 times stronger than even the White Witch and there is no safe way to defeat her."

"But?" Irene asked.

"I have a way, a selfless way that if I told you now, would save the world but I won't tell it to you now, after we have lived a life together because at the end of all this, we might not get another chance." He said.

Irene knew the look he was giving her, it was a pleading look. She gave a sad smile and said.

"What do you have in mind?"

"A happy life." Naruto answered.

And boy was it beautiful, He showed her his memories, she showed him hers, they had a love filled life.

They travelled to places from their best memories, forming new ones together.

They had love, they had their first kiss.

They lived together for more than 80 years,

And here they were at the end of it, two old people sitting in their backyard watching their favourite sunset for maybe a millionth time, the only thing ruining this perfect life, the real world.

Naruto had told her the way to defeat Leviathan on their 50th anniversary but they chose to spend another 30 years together before answering their curtain call.

"Is it really the time?" Irene asked Naruto her hand in his.

"As much as I want to wait here forever, this is it my love." Naruto said, he continued.

"I am sorry, I couldn't give you more."

"Don't be stupid love, it was the best thing that could ever happen to me, maybe we will meet in the stars." She said,

"We will. I know we will love." He said

They both waited for the sun to disappear on the horizon, it was then that they got up and kissed each other.

"Now if you survive don't live in sadness of loss -" she was saying.

"Move on as we discussed, or as you told me I know," he said as he kissed her again.

Kurama appeared on the door.

"It's time, love birds."

They both turned to one another, kissed and hugged, their foreheads against each other.

"I love you, Irene."

"I love you, Naruto."

Soon the entire world turned into smoke in water and they returned to reality.


	35. Book 3 Chapter 2: Rebirth of Naruto

It was as Naruto had said, in the outside world a moment had passed Leviathan was still falling from the impact of the water fox colliding into her and Naruto was still bleeding from all the wounds.

The scars that had been healed by his spell and Amaterasu's tears were beginning to reappear. The next thing that happened were just flashes to him.

He did not know if he said the things he did or thought them.

He was in the air on Kurama's back over the ocean and landed on the deck of a wooden ship, his briefcase and stone statue of Bear in his view.

All he remembered were the following things before he woke up.

Of course, he woke up.

'We made it.'

A flash of red sky.

'Goodbye, Irene.'

Kurama's voice talking to guy with Indian accent and a, "it's over for now," from the same voice,

'It is.'

Flashing White lights while he was being moved on some bed, with glimpse of red hair,

'Ma?'

A female voice shouting, "Nobody touches him."

'I will be alright.'

Vision of a blonde woman with wet hazel eyes treating him wounds,

'Baa-chan? Is that you? Been some time.'

Feeling of tubes getting shoved down his mouth followed by the feeling of getting drowned.

Finally Kurama's voice , "You are a massive Dick."

'I know Partner.'

* * *

As Naruto went into unconsciousness, He was instantly picked up by Kurama and after doing so, Kurama took a giant leap towards the boat.

Irene used the push of Kurama's leap to gain momentum and tackle Leviathan into the ground.

"THAT KID IS DEAD! HE KILLED MY BROTHER!"

"You won't be killing anyone, because you are ending right here," Irene said as she dug her claws in Leviathan and wrapped her tail around leviathan's body.

"YOU CANNOT KILL ME BITCH!"

"That's what I thought at first but," Irene bit Leviathan just below her head, "but we both are reptiles aren't we?"  
Irene told Leviathan in a joyful tone, which also manifested into a smirk when she heard a Panic filled.

"HOW DID YOU -!?"

"Let's end this once and for all, HACHŪRUI SEPPUKU! (Reptile suicide)"

"NO!"

In a single second, the previously clear sky was filled with dark clouds which seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. It was about then that Naruto and Kurama landed on the boat.

"Get them medical attention, Now!" Honour Singh shouted.

They all heard a weak;

"We made it." From Naruto.

Singh turned his gaze back to the fight still going on, realised whatever was going on would have heavy effects he gave another order instantly.

"Erect a barrier, everyone brace yourself!" He ordered.

And it was good that he did, as a red lightning thunder storm started to happen above the island, finally the lightning was so much that the entire sky was red.

"Goodbye, Irene." Naruto muttered as wizards tried to heal him.

Then the lightning descended on the island and within seconds the entire island was covered in red lightning, when it finally ended there was nothing of the island left, only dust and because of this destruction water rushed into the hole created by the island creating a giant whirlpool and also breaking the barrier that hid the island from the world, all these effects finally resulted in a huge cyclone.

"We have to go and search for Irene in that whirlpool." Singh was saying.

"No need, she won't be there, at least not alive, she turned her entire body into a magical attack to destroy Leviathan once and for all."

Singh gave Kurama a look and then turned to everyone else.

"Then retreat! No need to stay here any longer, others can make moves to take care of the cyclone, our primary objective is to save this Kid and take the evidence and the creatures he got us to hq, let's go!" He finished.

The boats levitated off the water and started to fly.  
As soon as they reached above the clouds Singh went into the room they had taken Naruto in to keep him alive. He entered to see Kurama glaring at the staff trying to heal Naruto, he released a sigh and asked Kurama.

"I am not going to pretend about knowing what you are going through but if you can right now, I would like to know what the hell happened on that island, every detail you can spare."

Kurama gave Singh a dead look but then started to speak.

"We did not go through hell, just to die, I don't know all of Naruto's thoughts but I know all that happened with us."

"That would still give us a lot of ideas on what we are dealing with." Singh said.

So Kurama told him everything and when it was over he could only mutter.

"All these events answer the questions on which this task force was formed but they raise bigger questions and possibly more dangerous consequences, but for now we know some major things about these guys; first they are pawns and the bigger player is not even in the game; second these lieutenants are not even humans, four of them still out there and their soldiers are mere puppets, we were able to round up some, maybe we might be able to get some additional info from them and finally whatever this is, it is a event more than 200 years into making, we might get some answers from the evidence you both collected, whatever it may be. It is over, for now." Singh finished.

They heard Naruto mutter something under his breath and then go unconscious.

Within an hour they were all on top of Sakurajima volcano in Kagoshima using the volcanic ash cloud as a way to hide itself, the ship entered the volcano.

As they entered the volcano the lava in it parted to show a huge lake, bigger than the area of the entire mountain in it, the ship touched down on the lake and the lava, which was just a small part of the sky if seen from the inside closed back above them.

This was the one of the two ministry HQ's in Japan, a world containing a lake, rivers, mountains, a village, a forest, all the attractions in the world. A tourist spot all hidden away inside a volcano.

Operated, Controlled and Protected by the Uzumaki family. The Uzumaki family had everything magical from Kyoto to Kagoshima with their name on it without exception and outside throughout the world they had business.

This monopolisation of Japan was brought in by hard and smart work of Kushina and her daughter Mito, next leader of the family but right now lead scientist for the Uzumaki corp, one the reason as to why they are one of the biggest families in the world.  
The boat started to make port, on the port a small group of redheads stood, along with a squad of people ready for transport, the figures that stood out where;

Kushina and both her daughters, they all had puffy eyes due to the news of Irene passing but they had heard Naruto was on the ship coming back so here they were nervous and afraid to see him, two of the three for the first time.

"How will we start talking to him nee-chan?" Mito, a young woman only 16 years old, but known throughout the world.

She had long, bright-red hair and large, pupil less eyes. She wore an elaborate, high-collared kimono with the Uzumaki symbol on the back of the obi which was tied around her waist. Her hair was arranged in buns with hair pins in them and three clips in the front. She also wore a dark shade of red lipstick.

"I don't know Mi-chan, but 'Hey do you know us, we are the coward sisters who couldn't will up the courage to ever send a single reply back to you ever, even though you send us gifts and letters on our birthday, apologising for something we did wrong each year, and made you think we hated you for all your life, yeah that's us! Can you forgive us?' Is definitely off the table." answered Erza.

She is a 20 year old woman, known throughout the world as one of Japan's greatest, 'warrior' wizards and also the best chaser in the world.

"He is very kind hearted, if you talk to him, he will forgive you, I am sure of it,He gets that from your father. He might be distraught because of Irene but do not take anything he says personally," Kushina said as she was fidgeting in her place.

The boat made shore and too their absolute horror, a 13 year old did not limp out of the boat.

No, a bloody broken and burned barely breathing body was wheeled out of the boat on a gurney. The medical team on the shore who had thought they were here to check up on the rich kid (rightfully so) immediately went into action to see what was going on, the lead doctor looked at Naruto and went.

"What the hell!? What did this kid go through, a freaking blender on fire?"

"No, He fought for 48 hours straight to give this world a fighting chance and I would appreciate it if he lived," came Singh's monotone voice from behind them as he came into view.

The Bear statue now small enough to hold in one hand floating above his hand in a transparent blue bubble and Naruto's briefcase in his other.

Kurama was also unconscious from exhaustion and was getting carried on a gurney behind him. The medical team instantly went into alert as soon as they saw who brought Naruto, they took hold of the Gurney and disapperated.  
Hana, Kushina's secretary moved towards Kurama and took her away.

While this was happening the three Uzumaki women could not move, they just stood there unmoving. Erza's eyes watered but no words came, Mito covered her mouth trying to hold back whatever was trying to come out, a cry or contents of her stomach she did not know, Kushina on the other hand was crying freely.

Then she turned to Singh who had raised a brow at this action but said nothing and shouted.

"YOU DID NOT MENTION HE WAS DYING!"

"I am sorry, Madam Minister but I didn't think the wellness of a young warrior from England was worth mentioning, unless I am missing something?" He asked.

There it was, Naruto wasn't there family. To everyone and maybe even to himself, he had no family anymore. The only person he could call family was dead and he might die thinking that. Never knowing he had his mother, sisters or even Grandmother. Immediately sending a word-to-word message to his Grandmother, a even further heartbroken Kushina turned to Singh.

"Just - Just give your report to my secretary, when she returns and then I'll contact you as soon as I can. I have to go." she said as she put her hands on both her daughter's shoulders and disapperated.

When they appeared in a private treatment facility owned by the Uzumaki's they saw a team of doctors, three times the size as before, working on Naruto in the middle of the hall, a doctor's hand inside Naruto's chest.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE!" she asked instantly.

"His heart stopped, we had to do this, now ma'am please move, we need to get him in the OR right away!"

As they were moving Naruto past Kushina and her daughters they all, even through the noise and hurry, heard a very weak.

"Ma?" Coming from Naruto.

Kushina lost herself as soon as she heard that, she fell on her knees and started sobbing, while all the doctors went instantly crazy.

"MA?! HE IS HER SON?" One of them shouted.

"GET EVERY DAMN AVAILABLE ABLE HAND IN HERE RIGHT NOW! I AM NOT GOING DOWN AS THE HEALER WHO LET KUSHINA UZUMAKI'S ONLY SON DIE ON HIS WATCH. NOW!" The lead doctor shouted.

However before any of them could disappear completely, the doors of the facility swung open and there stood two women.

One of the women is a fair-skinned woman with brown eyes and straight blonde hair that parts above her forehead. Her hair has shoulder-length bangs that frame her face and the rest reaches her lower-back tied in two loose ponytails. A violet diamond shape - is clearly visible on her forehead. She was a slender woman of curvaceous frame with above-average height and noticeably large breasts, She is wearing a grass-green haori with the kanji for "gamble" (賭, kake) on the back, inside a red circle. Underneath she wears a grey, kimono-style blouse with no sleeves, held closed by a broad, dark bluish-grey obi that matches her pants. Her blouse is closed quite low, revealing her sizable cleavage. She wears open-toed, strappy black sandals with high heels. She has red nail polish on both her fingernails and toenails and a soft pink lipstick. A green gem necklace hanging from her neck.

Next to her stood a fair-skinned woman of average height and slender build with onyx eyes and jet-black hair; her hair is straight and shoulder-length with bangs that cover her ears and frame her face. She is in a long bluish-black kimono with white trimmings, held closed by a white obi, and open-toed sandals with low heels.

"What are-!" Erza started saying,

"NOBODY TOUCHES HIM!" The blonde shouted, every single doctor's mouth was now agape, all of them frozen in shock.

"I will be alright."

Kushina started to cry harder as Erza felt she missed a few breaths, Mito leaned on the closest wall and kept crying. Tears could also be seen in the eyes of the two women who had just arrived.

The blonde grabbed Naruto's gurney and pushed it into the OR, the raven following closely behind, but before she entered she turned to the staff.

"Ahm, the ones with most experience come along, we will need some help." She said as she tied her hair into a ponytail and entered, the senior most staff, followed without a word.

* * *

**Inside the OR**

"If you die now, I will kill you, You listen to me, I have already lost enough," the blonde said as her tears started to fall, in an even weaker tone than before Naruto said.

''Baa-chan? Is that you? Been some time."

The blonde actually released a chuckle at that.

"Yeah it has, now rest honey, I am not losing you too." She said as the entire staff entered ready to work.

For the next 6 hours nobody moved, they just sat in the waiting room,

Kushina just sat there like a ghost thinking and doing nothing. Even her tears had dried down.

Erza was watching the ground just as lost as her mother and sister while Mito was clenching her knees close to her chest looking at the path from which news about Naruto would come but instead of news about Naruto, something unexpected happened, a large group of known people came brought by Kushina's secretary.

Erza looked up and she did recognise one of them, the oldest after all, who did not know Albus Dumbledore.

He was followed closely behind by a large number of redheads not like Uzumaki's, Uzumaki's were crimson haired while their hair were orangish, redheads and two girls, one blonde and the other one had brown hair.

They all followed Hana into the waiting area and Erza walked up to them.

"Professor Dumbledore, it's a pleasure." She said, because of Erza's training as a Warrior Wizard, she was able to think a little unlike her younger sister and mother.

"Ah! pleasure is all mine but can you tell us where we can find Mr. Namikaze?" He immediately asked.

The redheads that is Ron, Ginny, George, Fred, Mr. & Mrs. Weasley along with Hermione and Betty just looked at the three figure sitting around with stars in their eyes, Hermione and Betty's parents weren't allowed in the kingdom because they were muggles, Ron even muttered while looking at Erza.

"She is actually here."

"He is in surgery." Erza told them.

"Surgery?! How serious is this, what did they do with him?" Betty asked.

"He was trapped behind enemy lines for 48 hours, we could not hear the details ourselves but I think we might as well." Erza said as she looked back at her sister who gave her a look but then nodded and got up.

"And who might know what happened to him?" Dumbledore asked.

"I do. We all were debriefed as soon as the mission was over." Kushina's secretary said.

"Ok so tell us." Mito said,

"Uhm, you all might want to sit down for this." She said.

As all of them settled, Erza and Mito sat next to their mother, holding her either hands in theirs.

"Naruto-sama was kidnapped by a terrorist organisation calling themselves 'Children of The Beast'. For two purposes, first to act as a leverage over Irene-sama and second to get the location of Minato-Sama's Journals from them. He was taken to the Crimson Island, where he was tortured for almost 18 hours to get information but He survived through it all that without breaking down to give us the first essential piece of information, location of their HQ on the Crimson island."

Everybody was shocked and terrified to hear the information about him surviving torture for 18 hours but was just the start.

"After sending the info, Naruto-sama trekked throughout the forest to track the actual base in the island alone and after getting tortured, between his trek and arrival of the task force at the Island. It was discovered that island was covered in a impenetrable barrier so, the task force could not move in, but Naruto-sama was able to break the centre of the barrier from inside and also saving all the creatures on island, which along with his companion, a Kitsune are all going through checkup but even with all his work, he was too late, the group had completed its mission, by sacrificing from Naruto-sama's accounts close to 300 people. The mission being bringing the rest of the 'Children of The Beast.' back to life or to make them."

"Make them?" Dumbledore interrupted.

"Yes, according to Naruto-sama's accounts gotten through Kurama-sama, It is believed that the 'Children of The Beast' are not humans but beings made entirely of magic."

"Oh my god!" Erza said,

"Finally, Naruto-sama and Irene-sama went on a death battle against two Children of The Beast, namely Bear and Leviathan, Naruto-sama was critically injured in his battle against Bear, while Irene-sama gave up her life to neutralise the biggest threat of Leviathan. The multiple ministries are waiting for Naruto-sama's input because he was in the thick of it."

Everybody just sat there flabbergasted, nobody spoke anything; they waited about two more hours in complete silence.

Then the doors of OR burst opened and the blonde woman walked out but she did not stop, she paced straight through the hall towards the main gate punched it off its hinges and disapperated away.

They all looked at where she left from and then back to the doors of OR which opened once again and the raven woman who had come with the blonde stepped out, this was the time when Kushina finally moved.

"How is he Shizune?" She asked.

"Alive, and that's saying something, come on I'll show you all." She walked.

They all followed, now named Shizune to possibly the most horrific scene to see a loved one in.

Naruto was in a transparent tank filled with green liquid, a tube was going down his throat, a tube was inserted in his abdomen, a tube was tied to his hand, while he was covered from head to toe in bandages like a mummy, with letters in a foreign language written on them, he was bandaged most heavily on his right hand.

"His body is beyond strained, it was on the verge of falling apart, he was bleeding heavily from internal injuries, he had a medical spell in place but the spell was not made for healing, it was meant to tape and glue wounds long enough, to buy time before getting medical attention but Naruto put heavier strain on his body after using the spell, he has about 12 fractures of all types around his body, 20% of his body is covered in wounds, another 10% is burned and this is all after leaving his right hand, it would be a miracle of highest order if his hand survives this ordeal, we don't know just how much damage his mind has taken, there were clear signs of Cruciatis curse on his body, it is a big miracle how he survived," she told them then she turned to Dumbledore, giving him a kill you glare.

"Last summer, I got a letter from him, when he asked me about best ways to treat internal burns, I did not know what he was talking about but when we looked at his hands, his magical system is littered with burns, and then we saw this," she picked up a scroll from his bedside table and opened it a little to show a sun mark, same as the tattoo on Naruto's left shoulder.

"That's Naruto's tattoo." Hermione said.

"Tattoo?" Erza asked, "Why does he have a tattoo?"

"It's not just a tattoo, ask him, he will tell you what it is." Shizune told everyone as she kept glaring at Dumbledore.

"It's his 'Mark Of Alchemist, marking him as the next 'Flame Alchemist'." Dumbledore said.

"WHAT!?" Kushina and Molly said at the same time.

"Are you insane! Teaching a 12 year old boy Alchemy?" Molly shouted at Dumbledore.

"He didn't." Betty said out of nowhere, "Flamel's did, Hermione told me how Naruto was like a fanboy to them and then he spent time in Paris, and knows alchemy now. He learnt it from them, passing it onto him before dying. Didn't he?" She finished.

"Why yes," Dumbledore answered.

"You have crossed the line now Albus, why did you do it?"  
Came a voice from behind them all, they turned to see the blonde who must have returned from blowing off steam,

"Because I knew he would be able to, Tsunade." He said.

"Or So that you would have another brilliant soldier under you? A broken outcast you put together and use them to fulfill your own goals." Tsunade said with a glare.

"I do not do that." Dumbledore said back with an equal glare, the situation in the room went tense.

"I'm sure Newt Scamander, Hagrid, Remus, Richard, Katiya and Jordan having exactly those things in common was just a fluke." Tsunade shot back.

Dumbledore didn't say anything but only noticed by Tsunade, he reached for his wand.

'I'm not Grindelwald Albus, I will hit back and win' Tsunade spoke in his mind.

'You are sad Tsunade, you don't want this.' Dumbledore spoke to her through his mind.

'The only reason I sent my Grandson to your school was so you would look over him and keep me informed on whatever happened to him, So, why did you leave out the fact that you sent him to Flamel to learn alchemy? Thought you could make him one of your pawns, Stay his teacher and stay away from him.' Tsunade said.

'I want what's best for him, You should know by now Tsunade. You cannot keep him in your arms forever.' Dumbledore said.

'I did till now, I didn't think The Children of The Beast would follow him to England.' Tsunade said through the mind link.

'And how many other Unthought happening will it take for you to realise? He is Minato's Son, Jiraya's Grandson. He has the blood of legends, You will only harm him by coddling him.' Dumbledore said.

'I'm not coddling him! I've put him in hell to keep him safe!'  
'Well, his hell just shifted. I think it's about time he gets some goodness back in his life because if not then, his body might survive but his mind won't. I know you don't like my ways but sometimes they are necessary, One way or another he needs to be prepared.' Dumbledore said and Tsunade ended the mind link.

"Well, if it helps, I didn't know they would teach him everything instantly." Dumbledore.

"And it's good that he did, or my daughter would be killed by a Basilisk." Mr. Weasley said.

"Wait, What about a Basilisk?" Mito asked.

"Ah, now that the cat's are starting to jump out of the bag, might as well tell you everything that he has been doing in the school, children step out." Dumbledore told the twins, Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Betty.

Then Naruto's blood relatives were told exactly what Naruto had been upto for the last 2 years exactly.

Everyone from England had to head back home. They still had asked for an update if anything new happened to him but it has already been 30 days since the attack and he didn't wake up.

Kushina had to return to her job as the minister but she still returned by his bedside everyday, Mito had put her other projects on hold and put her time in investigating The Bear, Erza also had to return to her team because of the practise for the Quidditch World Cup to be held in a year but they all visited when they could.

During all this one of the biggest funeral parades took place in Asian magical community in Irene's honour, people from all over the world came to pay their respects.

They wanted to hear an eulogy from the person closest to Irene but the word of him being in the hospital after fighting alongside her went around, this actually made Naruto and Irene world famous, so famous that memorial for Irene and all the people that participated in the event that will be known in history as the Battle of Crimson Island was erected in Russia.

* * *

It was the 31st day of Naruto being unconscious, Kurama in her chibi form was lying on top of Naruto's tank, Amaterasu was also in the room on a stand that Tsunade had brought in.

Tsunade stepped into the room, Kurama looked up to see who it was and as soon as she saw it was Tsunade, she put her head down once again.

"Any change?" She asked.

"No."

"You both are still here, so that is still a good sign."

"Yeah it is, but I want him to wake up so that I can say to his face, 'You are a massive dick.'"

And to all their surprise they all heard in their heads.

'I know Partner.'

They all turned to see Naruto had woken up in his tank.


	36. Book 3 Chapter 3: Family

It was 20 mins later that Naruto was out of his tank.  
He was still having trouble breathing so they had given him a breathing mask, at this moment Naruto, his two beasts, Tsunade and Shizune were the only ones in the room.

Kurama silently lying in his bed, Tsunade was leaning on the door not even looking at Naruto, while completely opposite to her, Shizune was checking up on him obsessively.

"I am fine, Shizune-neechan." Naruto said through the mask as he grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

"You were comatosed for 30 days, Your body was almost too damaged to fix. You are not fine until I say so." She stated.

"I am alright and how are both of you? It's been some time since we last met? Almost 7 years." He said.

Shizune smiled, she stopped checking up on him and cupped his face affectionately.

"Why are you like this?" She asked.

She was pointing to his ability to love unconditionally no matter what.

"A person very dear to me once wrote, 'The only way to live is to live in a way that makes sense to you not others, otherwise what's the use of living?'That really stuck with me" He said.

Shizune was shredding tears by now, while unnoticed by them Tsunade flinched at his words. These words were written and often said by her son after all. Shizune instantly pulled Naruto's head down and kissed him on his forehead.

"We don't deserve you." She said.

"Oh, I know." Both of them shared a chuckle at this.

He turned to Tsunade, who was still not looking at him.

"I know you want to punch me back into the same state as the one I got out of, so instead how about we have a chat, Grandma to Grandson." He said.

"What you have been doing is precisely how I lost your father and your grandfather. Exactly what I didn't want you to do." She said she was still not looking at him.

"Yes Baa, I remember you wanted me to be a librarian or something along the same lines, my main life's work is research if that makes you happy." He said.

"It would, if you were not researching how to eradicate blood curses." She said.

This time however she turned around to give him a look, saying 'you better not lie to me anymore'.

"Headmaster finally snitched? Took him long enough." Naruto said with a straight face, this actually surprised them.

"What? all your talk about Hogwarts being an amazing school, sometimes even throwing 'best' around, you didn't think I would realise you were egging me to choose Hogwarts when the time came and also why I instantly told him everything, which also reminds me, thank you for the briefcase, I love it." Naruto dropping the bomb.

"How did you-?" Tsunade was saying.

"Natural born Legilimens, nobody can escape me once I touch them. Also nobody in this world can provide an enchanted bag with my initials so fast." Naruto said.

"So you knew all along that I was trying to keep an eye on you." Tsunade said.

"Yes, but I would have loved it if you sent me a letter personally once in a while, I do get jealous sometimes, ya know." Naruto said.

"I see." Tsunade said as she turned around once again,

"Why?" Naruto said, Shizune and Kurama looked at him oddly.

"Why do you keep pushing me away, Why do you keep me at arms length at one moment and then want to know every single detail about me in the next and why? Just why do you don't want me to be like dad or grandpa? Why Baa?!"

"You do not want to be like the both of them." Tsunade said in a low tone.

"And why is that?" Naruto asked in a high tone.

"BECAUSE THEY ARE DEAD!" Tsunade shouted back, she was now actually crying.

There was an awkward silence, using this moment of silence Shizune chose to exit.

"I should go and check up for Naruto's physical therapy, Kurama let's get you some steak."

She said as she exited, Kurama closely behind her, even Amaterasu chose this time to fly out of the room.

"Baa, yes they are dead but.... they died as heroes, their legacy is part of this world's history, no person exists that does not know their name." Naruto muttered.

"Yeah sure! but legacy does not kiss you, it does not call you 'ma', and I do not have it in me to go by living knowing some legacy used to call me 'baa'. I just don't." Tsunade said, tears still streaming down her face.

"But Baa? Why do you need to be so far away from me to protect me? all you had to do was tell me why you hated me fighting? Why didn't you?" He asked her,

"You don't see it did you? What was the common thread between my brother, my husband, my son and you? It's me! Every man I love in my life is marked for death. At first I thought they reached the top taking me with them and then they just left me, then I realised."

"No! I love them and it's like they make a deal with the devil, greatness follows them and then they die and each time I bury them the same damn line is fed to me, 'they died to give the world another day to live.' each time and when I heard Singh had said the same thing as they brought you in, I couldn't sit back. I had to come, but I cannot be near you if you want to continue on this path," Tsunade said.

"I just can't." She finished as she stepped even further.

Naruto needed to bring Tsunade near him so he did the one thing that would do so without fail, he removed his oxygen mask.

"Put that back on." Tsunade said and Naruto did not.

"Put that back right now!" She said, once again Naruto did not. Even though he was visibly turning blue.

"Why you little -!"  
Tsunade said as she finally reached near him to grab the mask and put it on his face as soon as she did and Naruto finally took a breath. She was about to go away but he grabbed her with his left hand and prevented her from leaving.

"No - listen - to - me - first." He said between heavy breaths.

She seemed like wanting to deny but she did not, probably because he literally stopped breathing to get her attention. So, she sat down on his bed, opposite to him. Naruto finally let go of his grip on her hand and now held it in more loose.

"Give me your necklace." He said.

"What?" She said, flabbergasted.

"Give me your necklace, I saw Dad's photo, He used to wear it, didn't he?"

She nodded.

"Did Granduncle and Gramps?"

She nodded once again.

"Then let me wear it, because if your love is a curse. Then I don't want to live in that world anyway but if it is. I'll return this," pointing to her necklace.

"As a sign of me breaking that curse, one af many." He said as he gave her hand a squeeze.

"All I want from you is to love me and to stay by my side forever." He finished.

"You are asking too much from me." She said as she wiped her tears from her other hand.

"Think of it as punishment for not sending me letters." He said with his signature foxy grin.

She laughed as she took her necklace off and put it around Naruto's neck, she put a hand on his chest, pressing the necklace on his chest.

"I am going to hold you on that promise." She said.

Naruto placed his left hand on her hand and said.

"I promise and I never go back on my promises." He said.

She also cupped his head with both her hands and kissed his forehead, then his left cheek and then right.

"I know, Love."

She then gently hugged him not to do any damage to his healing body but he hugged her as hard he could and it was really hard. She actually just realised how strong he had gotten, they both held it for sometime.  
Naruto was living a huge part of his fantasy right now. All he needed was his mother, sisters, Irene, his father and grandfather and he would be living his dream. Then he remembered Irene. She was dead, the first love he ever had was dead. Even though he had lived a whole life with her, he still felt a pit inside of him, he however pushed it down for now.

They both finally pulled apart, Naruto cleaning rest of Tsunade's tears off

He then turned to the door and shouted.

"You can stop eavesdropping and come back now,"  
They heard a comical panic outside the door and then the door opened to show Shizune, Kurama and Amaterasu right at the door.

"What? Eavesdropping? Us? Not!" Shizune said.

"It's alright Shizune-neechan, it was a family conversation anyway." He said with a smile.

"Oh ok!" She said as she entered.

"And you should stick to medicine, 'what? Eavesdropping? Us? Not!' Very 'on your feet' of you."

Kurama said as she started to walk towards a chair in the room but stopped when Naruto said.

"Don't think for a second, I have forgotten about you, I know we need to have a serious talk."

"What is there to talk about? Boss."

"Look I know you are mad-!""

"Why would I be mad? I walked out without a scratch, just like I was supposed to, right?"

"Kurama, you are -!"

"A battery."

"No! You are my first friend, my best friend, the one person I have always turned to but you have to know something Kurama,"

They all looked at him.

"I could focus on the enemy because I knew I had my best girl on the protection detail, I could fight recklessly and took all the damage because I knew when I fell, I had you to look after me and you would protect me ferociously. You have to realise that, I didn't take all the damage because I am some selfless hero, I took all the damage because I trust no one, not Irene, not mom, not baa here (no offence) more than I trust you! You are my partner but in some places I have been the one getting hurt, so that we can both live to fight another day." He finished.

Kurama looked at Naruto, she changed her direction back towards Naruto and jumped on his bed, curling into a roll and going back to sleep but not before saying.

"I am still calling you dick for some time."

"Acceptable."

They all laughed at this, they talked some more.

It had been about an hour since Naruto woke up but what they had forgotten to tell Kushina and his sisters that he was awake. Naruto wanted to but he still thought that they were not allowed to contact him, so during their conversation Naruto suddenly asked.

"So? When will I be moved?"

"Moved?" "Moved?" Both Tsunade and Shizune asked.

"Yeah I mean, I am not allowed to be near Uzumaki grounds if I can help it?" Naruto said.

"Agh! I don't wanna talk about that!" Tsunade said.

"I know you were never a fan of the arrangement but I have to go before I put Ma in trouble." Naruto answered.

"There is something you need to know about that," Tsunade started, she had a guilty look in her eyes, even Shizune looked confused at this, Naruto perked up.

"I actually supported the idea about you getting a 'presence' test." Tsunade said, dropping the bomb.

"What!?" Naruto shouted.

"That's not all, I also faked the results, you are actually 'pureblood'." She continued.

"Ba!? Why?" Naruto asked as hard as he could. Shizune had her mouth agape.

"So that you would be away from the names, away from danger. I knew if your results were 'half blood' they would erase everything about you. Keep you safe." Tsunade whispered, "even if it meant you won't get any recognition and resources from your family." She finished.

"I don't care about money! I couldn't meet my sisters and mother, I couldn't stay with you and Shizune-nee, I couldn't learn potions and elixirs from you, Fly brooms with Erza-nee, build something with Mito-nee, eat my mother's cooking because of fear?!" Naruto said.

"It was so you could have a better life in the long run." Tsunade said.

"No Baa, it was the one thing that made my life hell." Naruto answered.

There was once again silence in the room, Someone knocked and entered.

* * *

Just like the last 30 days have been, Kushina would be at work half-hearted, her only thoughts Naruto or Minato. Naruto for obvious reasons and Minato because of what had happened;

They both had met when they were only 8, Kushina was home schooled while Minato was an apprentice under a curse breaker that worked for Kushina's father and when they met.

They both hated each other.

Every time they were in the same room for any reason. She would just berate him, he liked to call her Red hot-blooded Habanero and she would punch him randomly but it all changed when she was attacked.

It was by a rival wizard family because she was the heir of the Uzumaki family. They planned to kidnap her and hold her for ransom, her guards were short work for the small army that was sent to get her.

She had also fought back but couldn't hold them back for long and was kidnapped. She was being led through a forest when the only thing she could do was rip her hair and let them fall after her to leave a trail for anyone following her.

She remembered hoping and then slowly her hope died and she had almost given up. However, as she was about to resign something had happened, everything was a flash of lights to her. She never knew how Minato disposed of 15 fully trained wizards all on his own but he did. The next clear thing she remembered was being lifted off her feet and flying over a tree line by Minato.

"How?"

"Your hair, they are just too damn hard to miss."

"Why?"

"Because I couldn't lose you."

It was then that she realised, why do kids constantly fight each other because they are too afraid to accept their true feelings.

After that was the start of the best time of her life, they loved each other more than anything.

They were known throughout Japan for their exploits and later had decided to keep their marriage on the down low, because of who they were and also because of their families. They had done so to keep their family safe.

She was glad, for the most part, for keeping their family a secret. She would however not trade her family for anything in the world, three beautiful children, a loving mother-in-law, a daughter like figure.

It was the best thing that happened to her but then within a period of 2 months everything was ruined. Her husband died, her son was taken away from her, she couldn't help her daughters through the loss of their brother and father. It was all ruined.

Over the years, She got control of everything but her son. She tried to maintain a relationship with her son but letters could only do so much.

Here she is, her son is in a coma. Everyday she thought about what Minato would do in this situation but couldn't think of anything. After all he would have burned the world down before something like this happened. She was in these thoughts when Singh entered her office.

"Honour Singh, I believe you have some information?" She said.

"Yes, it's about the statue that Mr. Namikaze got for us, From the data provided to us by Lady Mito, it appears they act as epicentres on which magic is concentrated, she also believes that these statues are something more but what she does not know what yet, might be due to the fact that Mr.Namikaze scorched the statue when he neutralised Bear, mind it I am not complaining." He finished.

"Thanks Honour Singh, it is a lot more than we gathered in the last 100 years." She said.

"Agreed, now please inform me if Mr. Namikaze's condition changes, I'll be on my way." He said to which Kushina nodded and saw him leave.

After he left, her secretory stepped in,

"Ma'am, that was the last of today's affairs." She told her.

Kushina nodded as she got up, after muttering a quick, 'see you tomorrow' she disapperated to the treatment facility.

As she appeared at the facility she was joined by her daughter, Mito, who had her lab coat in her hand as she met up with her mother.

"Did you get my report?" Mito asked.

"Yeah, Good work."  
Kushina said with a smile as they entered the facility to reach Naruto's room. They heard something from the other side, both thinking it might possibly be Shizune and Tsunade, they knocked and entered. They stopped in their tracks when they saw Naruto out of his tank, awake and alert.

"Ma?" Naruto muttered.

Kushina couldn't hold herself back and almost ran towards Naruto and hugged him tightly. Naruto couldn't say anything else either as he hugged her with his moveable hand. He was way too happy right now to say anything more to Tsunade, all he could mutter was.

"This is nice."

As Kushina was shredding tears, Mito just stood there realizing the situation, what will she say?

Naruto seemed to have noticed her, so through the hug he said.

"I know you don't like me -!"

"That's not true." Mito said instantly, "I don't know where to begin -!"

"You don't have to." Naruto interrupted as he held the hand he was hugging Kushina with.

"If you open your mind to me, you won't need to begin. We can start in the middle." He said.

Mito thought for a moment and then grabbed Naruto's hand. All that Mito wanted to tell him, he now knew, all he thought about the memories she knew, when it was over they both were crying.

"It's ok." Naruto said, "we all are afraid of something." He finished.

Mito also hugged him.

Later, they were joined by Erza, with whom Naruto did the same thing as he did with Mito and now everyone was sitting in his room in silence as they waited for him to say something.

"I lost Irene." They kept silent, "I made enemies with a threat that my father could not defeat, I almost died." They flinched at how normal his tone was at this.

"But I learned the truth and I got my family back, which if I have any experience with fate, tells me I am about to face bigger problems. I just know I will always have back up." He finished, they all just kept silent, then Kushina said.

"About that, now that we know the truth," she looked at Tsunade with a glare, "you can come home, you can have everything you missed, you will have protection and resources to finish your research." She finished.

"No." Naruto answered.

They all were shocked at this.

"I am glad to finally know that my sisters don't hate me." He smiled at them, "I am glad that I know the truth and that I have a home to return to but this is not my life, my life is in England now. I will love to talk to you all but this fight and my life, both need to be Hogwarts." He finished.

It took some more convincing but they all agreed, later everybody heard that Naruto had woken up, many newspapers wanted an interview with him but he denied.

Then Singh showed up to talk to him about what happened at the Island, Naruto asked everyone but Kurama and Kushina to leave and they did, Singh told Naruto everything he knew so far and now wanted Naruto's input.

"I know what the Children of The Beast are about, it's about The Bird, The Beast and The Brave." Naruto said.

"We thought so too at first, so we dug up the entire poem, but we are missing some key things, The Bird is the first one that shows up, her arrival marked by the words of the messenger, then the beast makes its move, finally the brave enters the fight completing the prophecy, so if it was about the Poem we started directly with beast's move, no bird, no messenger." Kushina told Naruto.

"It would be so, but I know who the bird is." Naruto said.

"What?!" Kushina said.

"That means you are the Messenger, carrying the word of Bird's arrival and you were kidnapped by workers of the beast, so it is about the poem." Singh said in monotone.

"Yeah." Naruto said.

"Who is she? The bird." Kushina asked.

"I cannot tell you that I made a promise about keeping it a secret, I only told you this much because it was important for what I am about to tell you." Naruto said, they both looked confused.

"In the prophecy the messenger identifies the beast, preparing the world till the brave arrive, I wanted you to know that I am the messenger, so that you would trust me when I told you what the beast is." Naruto dropped the bomb.  
Kushina, who had moved on Naruto's bed, held his left hand tight. Singh ignored this in favour of bracing for the answer.

"Being of seven heads, chaos in its path, churns the wheels of hatred and war. So mighty that the Gods came together to end it's reign, but before they did, it left it's essence, To be brought back on the mortal coil, for one last chance at plunging the world back into darkness."

Naruto said, realisation occurred to the other two adults. They completed with Naruto.

"Trihexa the beast of Apocalypse."

"Oh my god." Kushina said.

"This is not good." Singh said.

"That's not all." Naruto.

"Of course not." Singh said.

"I don't know how or what, but we have a little more than three years before The Beast arrives. She is waiting for some event." Naruto told them.

"What event? And how do you know about it?" Kushina asked.

"Some form of alignment, I don't know what form of alignment. I know about it because I drank some of Bear's blood and just then I was connected with the source. I saw a lot of stuff but I could only make out some of it, including this and the fact The Beast is a woman with white hair." Naruto finished.

"That gives us time to prepare. Thank you Naruto, I will stay in touch if anything else occurs, rest for now." Singh said as he started to leave but before he did he told Naruto.

"By the way Bear had a bounty on his head that you will receive."

"How much?" Naruto asked.

"10,000,000 galleons." He said as he left, not noticing Naruto's agape mouth.


	37. Book 3 Chapter 4: Return to London

**28 July**

Last few weeks have been the best in Naruto's life. He had spent it with his family getting to know them better and more.

He had also gotten one of his biggest desires fulfilled, he now possessed a photograph, a muggle one but still it held magic in it's own right.

In the photograph he stood in the middle, Kurama on his head, Kushina and Tsunade on the either side of him, Shizune next to Tsunade, Erza next to Kushina and Mito in the front holding her hands in peace signs. Just like he had wanted all along.

However as they say, all good things must come to an end, today was the day Naruto had to move back to England for school. He was at the place he visited whenever he had time, Irene's grave.

It was in the Uzumaki cemetery, there was one thing about Uzumaki's they didn't accept everyone as their family but once they did, they would die for you, you got same respect as everyone else in the family and hence you were buried with the family unlike other big wizarding families who would have made connections with Irene only for her power and disowned her for her curse.

"So, I am leaving for now, I'll come back next summer before that I want to say goodbye, for now." He said as he placed flowers by her grave stone.

"I gave your communication box to Ma, since I can talk to her now, I am also keeping the photo from my birthday but I won't be touching the vault that you left me. I cannot believe you did that, I'll just visit the vault to accept it for your sake but that's it. I'll see you later. Love you, bye."

Naruto kissed the top of the gravestone and turned back to go to the gates of the compound where everyone was waiting for him. He met with Shizune first, she gave him a scroll.

"This has everything you'll need related to the elixir of healing we used on you, along with the books on medical magic that I believe to be must, I know it's redundant but I have to say take it easy." She said as she kissed his forehead.

"Thank you and I'll try. Love you nee-chan." He said as he hugged and muttered a love you too back and He then turned to Mito.

"That new 'eye' and 'station' we build is amazing, you sure you don't want any credit for it." She asked as she tried to fix his hair.

"Nah, I only helped, it was all you, plus the things you gave me and the time was more than enough prize for me." He said with a smile.

"I am so sorry we couldn't do this all our lives," she said as she kissed his cheek.

"What do you mean? we only lost 13 years, we have more in the future. So don't worry about it, I love you and I'll wait for your letters ?" He hugged her as well. She also muttered a 'love you too and definitely' then he turned to Erza.

"I want to say something similar to Mito but I think I'll get the same reply so I'll just say, it's a shame we couldn't ride brooms together or have a duel because of your recovery but I hope we can do so next time, so, I love you too and you bake a mean cake."  
She told him as she kissed his forehead and hugged him, this time he muttered a 'definitely and love you too' to her and turned to Tsunade.

She placed a hand on his chest where the gem was and said.

"Don't forget."

"I won't." He replied.

"Come here git." She hugged him tight, they didn't need to kiss or say anything else to get the message across, they just hugged each other hard. Finally, he moved to Kushina, who handed him three letter,

"One of these letters makes it official, you are now back as an official Uzumaki and this letter confirms that you are no longer getting traced and the final one hands you the guardianship of the creatures that would not leave you."

The creatures she was talking about were the ones he had saved from the Crimson Island after they all had been checked, they were transferred to the Uzumaki Wildlife Park as a replacement to their now destroyed home.

However not all of them, some beasts didn't want to leave Naruto so he had changed his briefcase specs to house them. Since it would be illegal to have some of the beasts no matter what, but those that won't be illegal to have and needed the correct paperwork were doable. So, Kushina had provided him with that paperwork.

The reason why he no longer had the trace on him was because of his special dual citizenship status. He had just gotten that, when he became part of Uzumaki family or he would have had the same status earlier.

"I know we talked about things obsessively these past few weeks but once again are you sure you don't want to stay?" She asked.

"Yes Mom, I am sure, knowing that now I can be with my family like a normal person is more than enough for me, but I have to go back to Hogwarts. It's what I have to do."

He was pointing to the fact that he was the messenger, so he had to be near the bird and in extension where the battle between the three B's was supposed to take place. However more to the fact that he has a life in Hogwarts, a life that he loves.

"You are so much like your father it's haunting." She said as she held his head in her hands,

"I am going to take that as a compliment,"

Suddenly there was a chime in his pockets, He pulled out a watch similar to the one Dumbledore had used in Paris, but this one had the Japanese flag and Japanese ministry signia on it.

Speaking of Dumbledore, Naruto and Tsunade had a long talk about him, and Tsunade told him all about Dumbledore's actions and methods. She warned him that even though he is a good man, Dumbledore is a manipulative person and to be always wary about him.

"This was the best thing that could happen to me after Irene's death, you should all know, I love each and everyone of you unconditionally. Bye. Love you!" With that he warped into the watch and disappeared.


	38. Book 3 Chapter 5: Prisioner of Azkaban

Naruto appeared in front of the Leaky Cauldron, he had a lot of business in Diagon alley which he would start doing tomorrow first he had to sleep off the time difference first.

He stepped inside to get a room but when he entered he was greeted by two people standing in the bar, one of them was unexpected, Tom the innkeeper and Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic himself.

"There you are Mr. Namikaze, Mrs. Uzumaki informed my office that you would be spending your time here before the beginning of the school year but before you went to sleep, I wanted to have a conversation." Minister told Naruto.

"Absolutely Minister." Naruto replied as he followed Fudge into a private parlour.  
As soon as they entered they sat down opposite to each other, as soon as they were settled Fudge started.

"First, let me say to you both as The Minister of Magic in England and an ordinary wizard, thank you for your work on the Crimson Island and I am really sorry about what happened with Ms. Belserion, I heard you were close."

"I appreciate that sir, and thank you, yeah we were very close." Naruto replied.

"I would also like to say that since you don't have the trace on you anymore to watch out for yourself and others." He added.

"Of course sir," Naruto replied.

"But this is not all, What I would really like to talk to you about is, Sirius Black." He said.

"What about him?" Naruto.

"I want you to know first that some 6 hours ago it was confirmed that Sirius Black has escaped Azkaban prison." Fudge dropped the bomb and it got the reaction that was expected.

"What?!" Naruto said, now on the edge of his chair.

Azkaban might not be the most dangerous and secure prison in the world, That was the dubbed Blood Prison of Korea, a nightmare from the rumours about it but Azkaban was up there in the top three. So, for someone to escape from it was a tectonic event.

"How?" Naruto asked.

"We do not know that ourselves but we are working on it." Fudge said.

"Ok, what does this have to do with me?" Naruto asked.

"Not with you directly, it is about one of your classmates, Harry potter. Do you know of the relation between Sirius and Harry?" Fudge.

"I didn't know there was a relation to know about, all I know is that Sirius Black was a follower of You-know-who and a mass-murderer killed 12 muggles and 1 wizard." Naruto.

"Yes, that's right but the wizard he killed, if you want to call it just that, was one Peter Pettigrew, a friend of James and Lily Potter, along with Sirius. Sirius was known friend of Potters, when You-know-who marked Potter's for death they went into hiding telling only Sirius about where they went, but Sirius ratted them out to You-know-who and got them killed, in his attempt to escape he was confronted by Peter Pettigrew and it was then that Sirius killed 13 people but he was apprehended afterwards and imprisoned, now that he has somehow escaped -"

"He'd want to kill the kid that took out his lord and you want me to watch out for Harry in case somehow Black makes it to Hogwarts." Naruto finished.

Fudge smiled and said, "Exactly."

"Minister, you didn't have to ask me to protect my friend. I would have done it anyway, but I am glad that you gave this information to me." Naruto told Fudge.

"Of course, Now I have taken more than enough of your time, you must be tired. Good night."

"Good night, sir." Naruto finished as he went to his room.

* * *

**30 July**

Naruto had been confined in his room for the last two days and today was finally the day he was over the time difference and chose to buy stuff and sort the vault mess. He swiftly made it to Gringotts and went up to the main Goblin and said.

"I am Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, here about the vault problem."

The goblin looked up from whatever he was working on and said,

"Of course, can you show me the key of your old vault and hold out your wand." He said.

Naruto did and then they took the ride to the vaults but instead of where the vault originally was they went deeper, Naruto was sure that they were almost at mantle level, there was steam in their surrounding but no heat, actually it was cold possibly due to some spell.

Naruto was getting confused so he asked the Goblin taking him to the vault what was up, he answered.

"The vault you got from Ms. Belserion from Japan and your own vault were merged together, also since your valuables are now bigger and more valued they were moved to the bigger and more heavily guarded vaults, this vault after today can only be opened by you." He told Naruto.

They finally made it to a series of vaults with gates that looked heavier than the ones he had seen so far. They both got out of the cart and walked up to a vault.

Now what was interesting about the vault was that it did not have any locking or unlocking mechanism on it, it was plain apart from a couple of ensignia carved on it, he was divided between crying and smiling after seeing them, there was a Kitsune and dragon carved on it. The goblin placed his hand on the gate and the carvings moved away.

"Now you have to place your hand on it, after you do so the contract would be complete."

Naruto did so and the carvings which were colourless till now gained orange for Kitsune and scarlet for dragon and the vault opened.  
Naruto stepped into the vault to see the size of it, it was five times bigger than his old vault,

It was filled with money and other forms of valuables, some so valuable that they were supposed to be in a museum but Naruto was most intrigued by the back wall or the waterfall that was in place where the back wall should be.

He instantly knew that this was about more than leaving money and valuables. He turned to the goblin that brought him here.

"Uhm, I will be here longer, you can leave and send the cart back if you want." He told him.

"Ok, it will be 15 minutes before the cart comes back." He said as he sat on the cart and left.

Naruto stepped further and the gate closed behind him, he walked about 15 steps before he made it to the waterfall. He put his hand into the waterfall, as he touched it, it parted.

What He saw made him lose his footing and he fell down where he stood covering his mouth to prevent himself from crying out loud which he was doing, tears were streaming down his face.

Behind the waterfall was his stuff.

His two bicycles, all the paintings he had made in his life, the colouring books, poems, his stroller, his crib, his toys, the entire story library from his old home, even the childhood photos that were supposed to be destroyed were in the room. He couldn't move for the next 20 minutes. When he did gain his bearings, he muttered to himself.

"You got me back for the box, huh?!"

He walked around the area and went into a spiral of memories. As he was walking around he saw a big cabinet, it was filled with books mostly his childhood favourites but among them were a series of journals, not his fathers.

He had given all of his father's journals to Mito, to help her in her research and investigation into Children of the beast, she had promised not to show anyone those journals, they were just for her eyes.

No, these belonged to the person he had only known through stories, his Grandfather's. He picked them up, they were unlike his or his father's, both of whom only wrote research material in their journals, these were like diaries detailing everything from his 7th birthday to a couple of day's before he died, Naruto picked them up and placed them in his bag.

"I thought, I won't be taking things from this vault but first you had merged them together and now you do this to me. You really are - were amazing." He finished, he also picked up some money and he went out of the vault.

He sat on the cart that had come for him and left. He was happy about coming to the vault today. He went the rest of the cart trip wondering how Irene had not blabbed about this to him in their dream life.

As he exited Gringotts, he pulled out the oldest of his grandfather's journal.

Now, in Naruto's mind his grandfather and grandmother were a dream couple and his grandfather was Jiraya, The gallant, if he did not know yet, that at the end of the journals he would fall more in love with his Grandparents and father along with finding thousands of more spells but also changing the man's name from The Gallant to Pervy sage in his mind.1

He bought all his supplies and then he remembered something.

"It's Harry's birthday tomorrow, might as well visit him and surprise him on his birthday." Naruto muttered to himself as he bought Harry a cake and some snacks. To celebrate his birthday at midnight.

He was in his room, reading his Grandfather's journal and laughing as his grandfather explained the day's events in great detail, when he looked up to see it was an hour past midnight so he got alert.

"Shit! I am late! What will I do?"

Then remembered he could disapparate. So, he shouted into his open Briefcase.

"You coming Kurama!"

"Nah, this pup is showing me attitude, I have to put her in her place."

By 'pup' she was pointing to the Nemean Lion they had saved from Crimson Island.

Naruto gave a disappointed sigh and wave of his head and said,

"Nimi -" a roar came from the briefcase,

"And Kurama."

'Yeah?'

"I will not stop either of you, I don't know if I can but if either of you cause trouble for the others, I am going to have to punish you both, is that clear?"

He got two growls of acceptance and multiple sounds of approval. He closed his briefcase and then picked up the cake from his table and disapperated to Harry. He appeared in a room to see Harry looking out of the window.

"What the hell are you looking at?" Naruto said, startling Harry.

* * *

Harry was scanning the starry sky for a sign of Hedwig, perhaps soaring back to him with a dead mouse dangling from her beak, expecting praise.  
Gazing absently over the rooftops, it was a few seconds before Harry realized what he was seeing silhouettes against the golden moon and growing larger every moment, was a large, strangely lopsided creature, and it was flapping in Harry's direction.

He stood quite still, watching it sink lower and lower. For a split second he hesitated, his hand on the window latch, wondering whether to slam it shut.

It was then that he suddenly heard.

"What the hell are you looking at?" He jumped and turned around to see Naruto standing by his bed with a large pastry box in his hand and bag of snacks in his other hand.

Just then through the window soared three owls, two of them holding up the third, which appeared to be unconscious. They landed with a soft flump on Harry's bed, and the middle owl, which was large and gray, keeled right over and lay motionless. There was a large package tied to its legs but his attention was still on Naruto,

"How did you?" Harry started.

"Never mind that, Happy Birthday mate! Sorry I am late, did I miss the party?" Naruto said as he wondered where Harry's aunt and uncle were.

"I don't get any parties and keep quiet! if Dursely's heard us they'd have my head!" Harry muttered.

"What? That's not right but whatever it may be here, I brought you a cake and I believe they have brought you something as well."  
Naruto said as he handed the cake and the snacks to Harry and dropped on his bed.

Harry didn't seem to mind as well, It was the second cake he had gotten on his birthday, first one was from Hagrid on his 11th birthday and this was his second, Harry opened the three packages to see they were gifts from Ron, Hermione and Hagrid.  
They talked about all the things mentioned in the letters by the three. The fourth things were letters from school not just for him but for Naruto as well.

"This is for you." Harry said between eating the cake and drinking his soda, Naruto, who was checking out Harry's new Broomstick Servicing Kit. A gift from Hermione, took the letter and said.

"What? They knew I'd be with you when the letter reached? Nice." They both opened the letter and read.

_Dear Mr. Namikaze_

_Please note that the new school year will begin on September the first. The Hogwarts Express will leave from King's Cross station, platform nine and three-quarters, at eleven o'clock._

_Third years are permitted to visit the village of Hogsmeade on certain weekends. Please give the enclosed permission form to your parents or guardian to sign._

_A list of books for next year is enclosed_

_Yours sincerely,_

_Professor M. McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress_

"Alright," Naruto said as he pocketed the letter, he then got up from the bed and turned to Harry.

"See you later mate, Happy birthday once again."

Harry gave Naruto a huge smile, Clearly happy from Naruto's little surprise visit on his birthday but before Naruto left, who was planning to do so, Harry asked the question that was nagging him.

"Before you go, what happened to your right hand?"

Naruto gave Harry a bewildered look and asked.

"You don't know?"

Harry waved his head in denial, then it clicked with Naruto, if the poor bloc had to sneak to do homework, he obviously had no clue about the current affairs.

"Tell you on the train, I gotta go now." Naruto told him as he jumped down Harry's window, Harry ran after to see how Naruto landed but he looked out only to see nobody was there, he smirked and said to himself.

"Amazing!"

Then Harry went to sleep.

* * *

It was a couple of weeks later when Naruto was out in the Diagon alley for some stroll since he had been living in his room all day long doing research, talking to his Family, or playing with the creatures in his case.

As he strolled he stumbled into Quality Quidditch Supplies, where they were broadcasting the arrival of three particular brands of racing brooms. He peaked in to see, written in large banners.

JUST ARRIVED PROTOTYPES!

RUDRA 1993, SPECIAL INDIAN RACING BROOMS FOR FAST, AGILE AND STRONG MOVEMENTS FAVOURED BY ALL CHASERS!

FIREBOLT, IRISH MADE RACING BROOMS THE CURRENT FASTEST BROOM IN THE WORLD,

QIANGDU, CHINESE RACING BROOMS, SO STRONG AND STEADY THAT IT'S LIKE YOU ARE NOT EVEN FLYING, WHILE MOVING AT EXTRAORDINARY SPEEDS.

He was going to go in and buy a cheaper broom since he was destroyed on the island but just as he was about to enter, A memory came back in his head.

"Your hand was almost destroyed. It will take a complete year for it to return to it's normal condition, so don't over do it." Tsunade told him.

"I am a chaser for my school's quidditch team! I cannot take it easy." Naruto replied.

"Really? A chaser, maybe we should fly together, I can give you some pointers." Erza had said, she felt a bit out of the loop for not having anything common with Naruto, unlike Mito, who had their common love for inventing things, until this little detail popped up.

"Yeah! I would love that!" Naruto had shouted back.

But before they could say anything else Tsunade had interrupted.

"If in a year you return and this arm has not reached the level of healing I expect from it, I will lock you in a dungeon that no one knows about forever." She had said in a very sweet tone.

Too sweet in Naruto's opinion. So, Naruto stopped mid-step and did a 180 and walked away, if he had stayed a second longer he would have ran into Harry also looking over the brooms in envy.

The days went by with Naruto completely lost in his grandfather's diaries occasionally practising the spells mentioned in them. It was the last day of the holiday when Naruto was going down to get lunch, as he was coming down.

He saw Ron, Harry and Hermione talking to each other by the end of the stairs. Along with Betty and Ginny talking on the table while enjoying a meal, Naruto took a deep breath.

'Time to face the music.' He thought as he made his presence known.

"Hey guys." The effect was instantaneous, Ginny and Betty got up from the table and ran towards him, Hermione and Ron did the same, running past a confused Harry. As they all crashed into Naruto hugging him.

"I am alright." He said as he wrapped his hand around the four, they held the hug for a moment then pulled away, Hermione hit his good hand.

"Ow!" He exclaimed.

"You stupid boy!" Hit "Ow!"

"You didn't write after you woke up!" Hit "Ow!"

"Did" hit "Ow!"

"You" hit "Ow!"

"Have any idea how worried we were!" Hit hit hit "Owwwwww!"

"Alright I get it, I wanted to write believe me! As soon as my baa told me you all came I wanted to write but my world was unravelling and I couldn't find the time to do so and soon it was too late." Naruto answered while nursing his hand.

"When did you wake up?" Ron asked.

"30 days after you guys left." Naruto.

"And how is your hand? They said it was almost beyond saving." Ginny.

Naruto smiled at her, then held his right hand out.

"I won't be able to do much with it for a year, while it heals but it'll be usable once again."

Betty muttered something under her breath.

"What's that?" Naruto asked.

"... worried about you," Betty said a little louder.

"Who was?" Naruto asked.

"I was!" She shouted, Naruto put a hand on her head and said.

"I know and I am sorry for worrying you all about me. It was just that things started to happen and I tried my best to survive through them." Naruto finished.

Betty raised her head to see him giving her his signature foxy grin, she actually blushed and pulled away from him.

"What are you all talking about?" Harry asked finally, they all turned to him and looked at him as if he had grown a second head, Naruto came to his rescue.

"Give him a break he has to do his homework in hiding, of course he has no idea about what happened this summer."

Then they started to fill him up on what happened, they were soon joined by the rest of the Weasley family, as they came Mrs. Weasley hugged Naruto as soon as she saw him and asked him the same questions as others had, she was followed by Mr. Weasley who shook Naruto's hand and finally the twins who once again did their signature handshake and asked Naruto if he would be up for pranks this year.

"When have I not been up for pranks."

Was his truthful reply and they started formulating plans on the table as the others talked, Naruto was in Study of ancient Runes and The Care for magical creatures for this year's extra classes. So, he was quite surprised to know he shared classes with all of the others.

Dinner that night was a very enjoyable affair. Tom the innkeeper put three tables together in the parlor, and the seven Weasleys, Harry, Hermione, Betty and Naruto ate their way through five delicious courses.

"How're we getting to King's Cross tomorrow, Dad?" asked Fred as they dug into a sumptuous chocolate pudding.

"The Ministry's providing a couple of cars." said Mr. Weasley.

Everyone looked up at him.

"Why?" said Percy curiously.

"It's because of you, Perce," said George seriously. "And there'll be little flags on the hoods, with HB on them"

"- for Humongous Bighead," said Fred.

Everyone except Percy and Mrs. Weasley snorted into their pudding.

"Why are the Ministry providing cars, Father?" Percy asked again, in a dignified voice.

"Well, as we haven't got one anymore," said Mr. Weasley, "- and as I work there, they're doing me a favor -"

'Nothing to do with Sirius Black I am sure.' Naruto thought as he looked at Harry.

His voice was casual but Harry couldn't help noticing that Mr. Weasley's ears had gone red, just like Ron's did when he was under Pressure.

"Good thing, too," said Mrs. Weasley briskly.  
"Do you realize how much luggage you've all got between you? A nice sight you'd be on the Muggle Underground... You are all packed, aren't you?"

"Ron hasn't put all his new things in his trunk yet," said Percy, in a long-suffering voice.

"He's dumped them on my bed."

"You'd better go and pack properly, Ron, because we won't have much time in the morning," Mrs. Weasley called down the table.

Ron scowled at Percy.

After dinner everyone felt very full and sleepy. One by one they made their way upstairs to their rooms to check their things for the next day.

As it would happen, Naruto's room was right next to Fred and George's. So, he wasn't surprised when they knocked on his door for advice on pulling a trick on Percy, Naruto thought for a moment and came up with the idea.

"Where does he keep his most prized possession I wonder?" Naruto said with a mischievous smile, a smile matched by the twins.

So, here they were 15 minutes later leaning by Ron and Percy's room listening to Percy shouting at Ron, and snickering like idiots.

They saw Harry walk up to them, his face in a grim look.

"We've got it," Fred whispered to Harry. "We've been improving it." Naruto said.

As George showed him the badge, The badge now read Bighead Boy.

Harry forced a laugh, which Naruto noticed, and then he watched as Harry entered his room.

'What do you know kid?' He thought.


	39. Book 3 Chapter 6: Dementors

The next day they went to King's cross in the ministry appointed cars, Naruto, Fred and George had to go with Mrs. Weasley as she had somehow come to know about their prank on Percy and was giving them a lecture.

She also mentioned that she will tell Kushina about this, since it has turned out the two of them were pen pals now and Kushina had told Mrs. Weasley to treat Naruto like she wanted, rip him a new one whenever she liked, Naruto didn't have a problem with that, he got an aunt and uncle-type figures out of the ordeal so he was not going to complain.

They soon arrived at the station and when they reached, it was Mr. Weasley who said,

"Right then," he said, glancing around them. "Let's do this in pairs, as there are so many of us. I'll go through first with Harry."

Mr. Weasley strolled toward the barrier between platforms nine and ten, pushing Harry's trolley and apparently very interested in the InterCity 125 that had just arrived at platform nine. With a meaningful look at Harry, he leaned casually against the barrier. Harry imitated him.

They were followed by Percy and Ginny, Fred and George, Betty and Hermione, Ron and Naruto, Mrs. Weasley following behind them.

They all boarded the train and tried to look for an empty compartment, they found one with a man sleeping inside it.

"Aww man! I wanted to sleep, you guys settle here, I'll sit somewhere else." Naruto said as he moved further and away from the three.

He soon found a compartment in which Ginny and Betty sat with Luna, He peeked his head into the compartment. Luna and Betty were sitting on one side and Ginny was sitting on the other, He told Ginny.

"You move to sit next to them." he said.

"Why?" She asked in a tone a young girl would use one her older brother, an arrogant one,

"Don't ask questions young lady and do as you are told." Naruto said in comical anger.

They giggled as Ginny moved to sit next to Betty, they saw Naruto literally pull a pillow out from his sling bag and place it by the window and lie down on the now empty seat.

"Are you kidding me?" Ginny said.

"Nope, I want to sleep, is that a problem?" Naruto said with a smug smile,

"Yes! It is not nice." Ginny replied.

"Well in my view it is, since you see if I sleep you can talk about whatever the hell 12 year old girls talk about without a 13 year old boy listening in, and I get some good rest." Naruto said as he pulled out his Walkman and closed his eyes, the last thing he saw was the three girls giving him non-serious death glares. He didn't care, he just went to sleep.

He didn't know how long he slept but he was woken up by the train slowing down, he opened his eyes to see Ginny getting up to check what was up but he beat her to it.

"Sit back down." He said as he got up and peaked his head out. All along the carriage heads were sticking curiously out of their compartments.

The train came to a stop with a jolt, and distant thuds and bangs told them that luggage had fallen out of the racks. Then, without warning, all the lamps went out and they were plunged into total darkness.

"Are all of you ok? Did any of the luggage fall on you?" Naruto asked as he took out his wand.

"No. We are all right." It was Betty who answered.

Naruto's wand lit up to fill their compartment with light to see, their luggage was on the floor but nobody was hurt, he closed the door and sat back down.

"What is it?" Betty asked.

"Nothing good, so stay back alright." Naruto answered.

"There's something moving out there," Luna said suddenly. "I think people are coming aboard -!"

"I have to look for Ron." Ginny was saying but was interrupted by Naruto.

"You are not going anywhere, keep still."  
As he said that, the door to the compartment slowly slid open, there illuminated by his spell stood a cloaked figure that towered to the ceiling. Its face was completely hidden beneath its hood.

There was a hand protruding from the cloak and it was glistening, grayish, slimy-looking, and scabbed, like something dead that had decayed in water but it was visible only for a split second, the hand was suddenly withdrawn into the folds of its black cloak. Then the thing beneath the hood, whatever it was, drew a long, slow, rattling breath, as though it were trying to suck something more than air from its surroundings.

It was then that Naruto moved, the glow from his wands tip started to intensify.

"We do not have Sirius Black! Leave now!"

The creature pulled away from the gate, Naruto moved his hand in the air in front of the gate, and the gate closed itself and then locked itself as well, for some time there was silence in the compartment, the three girls were clearly frightened by whatever the creature was, it was Ginny that asked.

"What was that?"

"A Dementor, guards of Azkaban looking for Black, the question is why the hell was it coming so close to students. Are you all alright?" Naruto asked as he still held his wand up.

"Define alright." Betty said.

They didn't talk much during the remainder of the journey. At long last, the train stopped at Hogsmeade station, and there was a great scramble to get outside; owls hooted, cats meowed, and Neville's pet toad croaked loudly from under his hat. It was freezing on the tiny platform; rain was driving down in icy sheets.

Naruto followed by the three girls as they walked silently to the stagecoaches, it was there that Naruto suddenly spoke.

"So this is what Thestral's look like, huh? They are beautiful."

Naruto walked onto the front of the coach, where there stood a black horse-like creature with winds, Naruto extended his hand and waited, the Thestral seemed to be thinking about something but it finally decided to put its head under Naruto's hand.

Naruto started petting the thestral when the three girls showed up, while Betty and Ginny looked at Naruto as if he had lost his mind, Luna practically shouted.

"You can see them too!"

Naruto was quite surprised at this, he stopped petting the creature and made his way to sit in the coach after they had settled down. Naruto finally spoke.

"Yes I can, I saw some not so kid friendly stuff this summer but how did you?" Naruto asked.

"My mother." Was all Luna had to say.

"Oh I am so, so sorry." he said very genuinely to which Luna gave an extremely pleasant smile, even her eyes closed because of how she smiled and said.

"It's ok."

* * *

Naruto, Sheamus, Dean, Neville, Harry, Ron, Ginny, Betty, Hermione, Fred, George, Angelina and Alicia were sitting in a small group on the feast table talking about what had happened in the train, while the ones that had not visited him in Japan asked how he was doing, they suddenly heard.

"You fainted, Potter? Is Longbottorn telling the truth? You actually fainted?"

It was Malfoy who had shouted from his table, Naruto noticed that Delphini was not on the table, he expected as much after all it had leaked that the The Bird, The Beast and The Brave might be coming true. So, she must be training for the inevitable battle, she needed to after all. He would later hear that she had chosen to do this year from Home, which was difficult but not impossible; his mind however was refocused when he heard.

"Shove off, Malfoy," said Ron.

They then once again started to talk amongst each other.

"And what was the chocolate for?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, even Madam Pomfrey suggested Chocolate." Harry answered, they all looked at each other and then turned to Naruto, who was stuffing his face with chicken.

"Wha?" Naruto asked with a mouthful.

"Why did the chocolate help after the dementor's attack, we know you know." Hermione said.

Naruto took a long sigh and started.

"Dementors manipulate a person's negative emotions, fear, guilt and the like and they do so by damaging the positive part of the person's mind, now chocolate has Phenylethylamines and tryptophan, which mimics love and happiness in a person's mind helping them recover faster." Naruto finished.

They all just nodded, by now accepting his giant array of knowledge on magical creatures.  
What they didn't know was, many were listening in on the conversation, even some teachers would after hear about this, when students would ask this to confirm it and throughout the year each student would always have a piece of chocolate in their pockets.

"Welcome!" said Dumbledore, the candlelight shimmering on his beard.  
"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you once again become befuddled by our excellent feast -!"

Dumbledore cleared his throat and continued,  
"As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business."

"They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds," Dumbledore continued, "and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises - or even Invisibility Cloaks or spells," he added blandly.

Harry and Ron glanced at each other, while Naruto choked on his spit, the now complete spell on his abdomen twitching.

"It is not in the nature of a dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I, therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the prefects and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs afoul of the dementors," he said.

"On a happier note," he continued, "I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year."

"First, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

There was some scattered, rather unenthusiastic applause. Only the aforementioned group clapped, Lupin looked particularly shabby next to all the other teachers in their best robes.

"As to our second new appointment,"

Dumbledore continued as the lukewarm applause for Professor Lupin died away.

"Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties."

The four hoodlums were stunned but recovered quickly and joined the entire Gryffindor table in applauding as if they had already won the house cup.

"And finally, we all have heard the rumours and incident connected with the Crimson Island."  
Many people looked at Naruto.

"I would like to address you all about it, the rumours say that the Poem of The Bird, The Beast and The Brave might be coming true, now we don't have concrete evidence to support that but the threat of the organisation known as The Children of The Beast is indeed very real. So, as a last message to all I would tell you all to exercise caution."

The Feast was over sooner than they wanted it to, after the four congratulated Hagrid on the accomplishment they joined the rest of Gryffindor in going up to the dormitories.

They went up more and more stairs, to the hidden entrance to Gryffindor Tower's large portrait of a fat lady in a pink dress asked them, "Password?"

"Coming through, coming through!" Percy called from behind the crowd. "The new password's 'Fortuna Major'!"

"Oh no!" said Neville Longbottom sadly. He always had trouble remembering the passwords.

Through the portrait hole and across the common room, the girls and boys divided toward their separate staircases, the third year boys spent the next few hours doing random stuff together.

The next day Naruto was up for his morning run and as he was exiting the common room, he was ambushed by Professor McGonagall.

"Yes, just the person I was here for, now I know you run around the grounds Naruto, but I would advise you not to go as far as you normally go for your morning exercise, you know with dementor's crawling throughout the ground and with Black on the loose." She said.

"Of course professor, I'll just go till Professor Hagrid's hut, and not any further." He said.

"Ok, that is acceptable but keep your wand close." She said as she left.

"So, they all knew, all along." Naruto said as he moved once again.

After the exercise he took a quick bath and he went to Snape's office, for a chat. He heard a sharp 'enter' as he knocked and entered.

Snape was working on some papers with a stack of books on his table, the one on the top saying, 'how to fly without a broom.' Snape looked at Naruto and got up.

"I have heard of everything that happened to you and I am glad you are safe, this is the last of things I can teach you, after this you will know everything I know, and I say this with complete honesty that I am very glad that I started teaching you." Snape finished.

"It was an honour to learn from you Professor, and thank you so much for spending your precious time teaching me and if you don't mind, can you tell me -!"

"About Ms. Malfoy, I do not know myself but the Malfoy's were able to get permission from the ministry for home schooling from the Ministry and I signed off on it."

Naruto nodded and with that they shook hands and Naruto left with the books to the breakfast table, he arrived to see Fred and George on the table eating, he sat by them as the third-year schedule was passed to him.

* * *

He was eating when suddenly, Harry dropped into a seat at the Gryffindor table, next to George Weasley.

"New third-year course schedules," said Naruto, passing them over to the trio.

"What's up with you, Harry?"

"Malfoy," said Ron, sitting down on George's other side and glaring over at the Slytherin table.

George looked up in time to see Malfoy pretending to faint with terror again.

"That little git," he said calmly. "He wasn't so cocky last night when the dementors were down at our end of the train. Came running into our compartment, didn't he, Fred?"

"Nearly wet himself," said Fred, with a contemptuous glance at Malfoy.

"I wasn't too happy myself," said George. "They're horrible things, those dementors -!"

"Sort of freeze your insides, don't they?" said Fred.

"You didn't pass out, though, did you?" said Harry in a low voice.

"Forget it, Harry," said George bracingly.

"Dad had to go out to Azkaban one time, remember, Fred? And he said it was the worst place he'd ever been, he came back all weak and shaking - They suck the happiness out of a place, Naruto said the same didn't he. Most of the prisoners go mad in there."

"Anyway, we'll see how happy Malfoy looks after our first Quidditch match." said Fred.

"Gryffindor versus Slytherin, first game of the season, remember?"

"Speaking of Quidditch, Naruto, what is this about you not playing this year, we keep hearing about?" Fred said,

"Yeah man! I have to keep it down this year to recover. So no Quidditch this year." Naruto answered.

"Oh man! That sucks! Angelina will be pissed." George said.

"I'll convince everyone don't worry about that, and I'll personally teach the formations to the person taking my place." Naruto answered.

Naruto then went to the Study of ancient runes, he was however surprised to see Hermione with him.

"Don't you take Divination with others?" Naruto asked.

"Aren't you excited to learn runes!" Hermione said, dodging the question and soon the teacher came into the class and started teaching.

At the end of the class, Naruto and Hermione were stepping out together when suddenly Hermione said.

"I'll see you at Transfiguration!" She said as she started to leave.

"Where are you going? We can walk together." Naruto said.

"No, I have to go - go to the loo first." She answered as she left out of his vision.

"Has she finally cracked?" Naruto commented on her weird act, he just waved his head and started to head to Professor McGonagall's class.

He was one of the first to arrive in the class and sat in the last seat of the middle row, soon the class started to fill up with others, Hermione came and sat next to him, she looked a bit worried and angry.

"Did someone piss you off on the way from the loo?" Naruto asked.

"What? Oh no, just worried about something." Hermione said.

The class started and he noticed that only the students that had gone to Ancient runes were the only ones paying attention, even Hermione wasn't, to Professor McGonagall. She seemed to have noticed this as well.

"Really, what has got into you all today?" said Professor McGonagall, turning back into herself with a faint pop, and staring around at them all.  
"Not that it matters, but that's the first time my transformation's not got applause from a class."

Everybody's heads turned toward Harry again, but nobody spoke. Then Hermione raised her hand.

"Please, Professor, we've just had our first Divination class," Naruto got suspicious at this statement but didn't say anything.

"and we were reading the tea leaves, and -"

"Ah, of course," said Professor McGonagall, suddenly frowning.

"There is no need to say any more, Miss Granger. Tell me, which of you will be dying this year?"

Everyone stared at her.

"Me," said Harry, finally.

"I see," said Professor McGonagall, fixing Harry with her beady eyes.  
"Then you should know, Potter, that Sybill Trelawney has predicted the death of one student a year since she arrived at this school. None of them has died yet. Seeing death omens is her favorite way of greeting a new class. If it were not for the fact that I never speak ill of my colleagues -"

Professor McGonagall broke off, and they saw that her nostrils had gone white. She went on, more calmly,  
"Divination is one of the most imprecise branches of magic. I shall not conceal from you that I have very little patience with it. True Seers are very rare, and Professor Trelawney..."

She stopped again, and then said, in a very matter-of-fact tone,

"You look in excellent health to me, Potter, so you will excuse me if I don't let you off homework today. I assure you that if you die, you need not hand it in."

Hermione laughed.

Harry felt a bit better.

It was harder to feel scared of a lump of tea leaves away from the dim red light and befuddling perfume of Professor Trelawney's classroom. Not everyone was convinced, however. Ron still looked worried, and Lavender whispered, "But what about Neville's cup?"

When the Transfiguration class had finished, they joined the crowd thundering toward the Great Hall for lunch.

But Naruto pulled Hermione apart.

"So, You were in both Divination and Ancient runes, good but the thing is they both happen at the same time, anything you want to tell me?"

Hermione facepalmed and then said.

"Professor McGonagall has forbidden me to tell anyone about this but." She took out her necklace and as soon as she did, Naruto retracted.

"Is that?"

"Yes." She knew he would identify it immediately.

"Alright, let's never mention this to anyone and I am going to forget that this exists, because I am not going anywhere near that," Naruto said as he started to leave.

"What? That's it?" Hermione said flabbergasted.

"Yes, that's it, because when you mess with time, it messes back, and with my luck when it will mess back I will die, and I don't want to die, so we both are going to forget that this conversation ever occurred." He whispered harshly.

He entered the hall for lunch followed by Hermione.

"Ron, cheer up." said Hermione, pushing a dish of stew toward him.  
"You heard what Professor McGonagall said."

Ron spooned stew onto his plate and picked up his fork but didn't start.

"Harry," he said, in a low, serious voice, "You haven't seen a great black dog anywhere, have you?"

"Yeah, I have," said Harry. "I saw one the night I left the Dursleys'."

Ron let his fork fall with a clatter.

"Probably a stray," said Hermione calmly.

Ron looked at Hermione as though she had gone mad.

"Hermione, if Harry's seen a Grim, that's - that's bad," he said.  
"My - my uncle Bilius saw one and - and he died twenty-four hours later!"

"Coincidence." said Hermione airily, pouring herself some pumpkin juice.

"You don't know what you're talking about!" said Ron, starting to get angry.  
"Grims scare the living daylights out of most wizards!"

"There you are, then," said Hermione in a superior tone.

"They see the Grim and die of fright. The Grim's not an omen, it's the cause of death! and Harry's still with us because he's not stupid enough to see one and think, right, well, I'd better kick the bucket then!"

Ron mouthed wordlessly at Hermione, who opened her bag, took out her new Arithmancy book, and propped it open against the juice jug.

"I think Divination seems very woolly," she said, searching for her page.  
"A lot of guesswork, if you ask me, I mean that's why you didn't take it, right? Naruto."

Naruto finally spoke up.

"No, I didn't take Divination because it is an innate art, you cannot only study about it in the books, you need to have a talent for it, which I don't have and it is dangerous to know too much about the future." Naruto answered last bit pointing towards Hermione.

* * *

With that they went to their Care of Magical creatures class, they were all supposed to meet at Hagrid's hut.  
Naruto walked with Hermione as she berated Ron, who was walking behind them with Harry doing the same. They were not talking to each other directly but were loud enough to hear each other.

When they reached Hagrid's hut, Hermione and Ron stopped berating each other; Harry and Naruto took sighs of relief at the same time, looking each other in the eye. They started to laugh.

Hagrid was waiting for his class at the door of his hut. He stood in his moleskin overcoat, with Fang the boarhound at his heels, looking impatient to start.

"C'mon, now, get a move on!" he called as the class approached.  
"Got a real treat for yeh today! Great lesson comin' up! Everyone here? Right, follow me!"

Hagrid strolled off around the edge of the trees and five minutes later, they found themselves outside a kind of paddock. There was nothing in there.

"Everyone gather 'round the fence here!" he called.  
"That's it - make sure yeh can see - now, firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books -"

"How?" said the cold, drawling voice of Draco Malfoy.

"Eh?" said Hagrid.

"How do we open our books?" Malfoy repeated.

He took out his copy of The Monster Book of Monsters, which he had bound shut with a length of rope. Other people took theirs out too; some had belted their book shut; others had crammed them inside tight bags or clamped them together with binder clips.

"Hasn' - hasn' anyone bin able ter open their books?" said Hagrid, looking crestfallen.

The class all shook their heads. Apart from Naruto whose book was sleeping peacefully in his hand.

"Yeh've got ter stroke 'em," said Hagrid, as though this was the most obvious thing in the world. "Look -"

He took Hermione's copy and ripped off the Spellotape that bound it. The book tried to bite, but Hagrid ran a giant forefinger down its spine and the book shivered, and then fell open and lay quiet in his hand.

"Oh, how silly we've all been!" Malfoy sneered.  
"We should have stroked them! why didn't we guess!"

"I - I thought they were funny," Hagrid said uncertainly to Hermione.

"Oh, tremendously funny!" said Malfoy. "Really witty, giving us books that try and rip our hands off!"

"Shut up, Malfoy," said Harry quietly. Hagrid was looking downcast.

"It's alright, it'll be the one to tell the kids, right, 'our best care of magical creatures professor gave us a living book! It was amazing."  
It was Naruto who had come to Hagrid's rescue, his voice over the other students as he shouted from behind everyone, leaning on a tree with a huge smile.

The other students laughed and stroked the book's spine, Hagrid also seemed to have gotten his joy back as he said.

"Yeah! So I'll go an' get 'em. Hang on -! "

He strode away from them into the forest and out of sight.

"God, this place is going to the dogs," said Malfoy loudly.

"That oaf teaching classes, my father'll have a fit when I tell him."

"Don't mind me if I don't give a damn about your father's health." Naruto said, students once again laughed.

"Why you -!" Malfoy started.

"Shut up, Malfoy." Harry repeated.

Before things could escalate any further,

"Oooooooh!" squealed Lavender Brown, pointing toward the opposite side of the paddock.

There stood a creature which was a mix between an eagle and horse.

"Hagrid what is that?" Ron asked.

"That Ron is a Hippogriff, o' course. Now, firs' thing yeh gotta know is they're proud. Easily offended, Hippogriffs are. Don't never insult one, 'cause it migh' be the las' thing yeh do. Right then - who wants ter come an' say hello?" Hagrid said.

The entire class steps back, leaving Harry in front. Naruto smirked behind them all, still leaning on a tree.

"Good man, Harry!" Hagrid said.

Harry looked back in shock to see everyone had left him so reluctantly. Finally, he approached Hagrid and the Hippogriff.

"Tha's it. Easy now... stop! This here's Buckbeak, Harry. Yeh want ter let 'im make the firs' move. It's polite, see? Jus' take step forward, give 'im a bow, and if Buckbeak bows back, yeh're allowed ter touch him. Ready?"

Unsure Harry stepped forward and bowed. Buckbeak's head cocked, eagle eyes studying Harry cannily. Harry waited, and waited.

"Back off, Harry! Back off!" Hagrid warns him.

Harry started to step back, when Buckbeak suddenly ducked his beak. Hagrid sighed, positively relieved.

"Well done, Harry! Go on. Give 'im a pat." Hagrid said.

Tentatively, Harry reached out, laid his hand on Buckbeak's fierce beak.

The class started clapping. Naruto smiled as he joined the class in clapping.

"Look at that! I reckon he migh' let yeh ride 'im!" Hagrid said, it was then that Naruto released a groan, he wanted to ride the Hippogriff, he should have volunteered.

"Excuse me?" Harry said but Hagrid didn't pay much attention to him, He just picked Harry up while saying.

"We'll jus' set yeh behind the wing joint. Mind yeh don' pull any feathers out. He won' like that."

Hagrid dropped him onto Buckbeak's back and before Harry's settled, slapped Buckbeak's hindquarters.

"Off yeh go!" Hagrid shouts.

As Buckbeak galloped forward, Harry slid scarily back, buckbeaks' wing unfolding, huge and powerful, and - WHOOSH! - it soared into the air. Rising higher and higher disappearing into the sky.

After sometime Hagrid whistled and just then Buckbeak wheels in, beating his way back to the paddock, galloping to a halt. As Harry slid off, the class cheered for him- all except Draco, who narrowed his eyes maliciously.

"Good work, Harry!" Hagrid said, followed by whispering something to Harry. Naruto was about to step forward to ask if he could get a try but just then Draco pushed past him roughly, and strided toward Buckbeak.

"Give me a go at that thing. If Potter can do it, it must be easy. You're not dangerous at all, are you, you great ugly brute..." Draco said as he reached buckbeak.

"Malfoy! No!" Hagrid tried to warn him, but it was too late.

In a flash, Buckbeak's steely talons slash down. Malfoy froze. Looking down at the blood blossoming on his robe, he shrieked instantly, Hagrid dashed forward.

Buckbeak whipped around, raised its talons and - seeing Hagrid- lowered them. Ducking its beak.

"It's killing me! It's killing me!" Draco was shrieking.

"Calm yerself! Yer fine... jus' a scratch..." Hagrid said but then looked at a deep gash on Draco's limp arm.

"Hagrid. He's got to be taken to a hospital. I'll go with you, if you like -!" Naruto stepped forward.

"No. I'm the teacher. You all - you all just - Class dismissed!" And with that, Hagrid - looking shaken - swooped up Malfoy, flipped him over his shoulder, and lumbered toward the castle.

"This is not going to end well." Naruto muttered, other's could just nod.

"They should fire him straight away!" said Pansy Parkinson, who was in tears.

"It was Malfoy's fault!" snapped Dean Thomas. Crabbe and Goyle flexed their muscles threateningly.

Naruto looked at them and his left hand caught fire, as he stepped towards them,

"You were saying?" Particularly to Crabbe and Goyle, they fell silent.

Soon the class moved back to the castle.


	40. Book 3 Chapter 7: Lupin

It was thursday during lunch that Draco finally decided to leave the hospital wing.

The four of them were sitting eating lunch and also listening to the Draco and his goon squad talk.

"How is it, Draco?" simpered Pansy Parkinson. "Does it hurt much?"

"Yeah." said Malfoy, putting on a brave sort of grimace.

"Listen to the idiot, he is laying it thick, isn't he." Ron said.

"At least Hagrid is not sacked." Harry said, pointing out the silver lining.

"Yeah, but this is not over." Hermione said, as she looked at Naruto checking his homework.

"Wait? We had Ancient runes homework?" She asked him.

"Yeah, it's a small assignment on decoding them, takes only about half an hour." He said as he started rolling it up.

"But I don't have half an hour! I have others - unless -!" Hermione was muttering. Naruto instantly got the gist.

"No! You cannot do that! Copy from me if you have to but don't do that." Naruto said.

Ron and Harry who had blanked out at Homework, refocused on Copy.

"What are you guys talking about?" Ron asked.

"Nothing." both of them said at the same time.

"He's been sighted!"  
Seamus' words got their collective attention, as he brought a recent edition of Daily prophet and placed it near Harry, and the other Gryffindors huddled over a copy of The Daily Prophet.

"Who?" Ron asked.

"Who else Ron? Black!" Naruto said as the image on the cover confirmed his answer, Hermione reads over his shoulder and whispers to herself but since it was near Naruto's ear, he heard her clearly.

"Daftown? That's not far from here -!"

"You don't think he'd come to Hogwarts, do you?" Neville whispered in fear, next to Naruto.

"With the Dementors at every entrance?" Lavender whispered from across Naruto.

"Dementors? He's already slipped by them once, hasn't he? Who's to say he can't do it again?" Seamus stated, everyone missing the horror filled look on Harry's face.

Bem, a Nigerian Gryffindor boy, a year younger than Naruto and the others stares grimly at the grainy image of Black.

"That's right. Black could be anywhere. It's like trying to catch smoke. Like trying to catch smoke with your bare hands." He said in an ominous tone.

Naruto put his hand on Bem's head and said,

"Easy there Bem, you sound like a creepy guy in the beginning of horror movies, 'abandon all hope ye who enter here.' act your age." Naruto then pushed Bem's head down, everyone laughed, the mood a little better and lighter now.

Later, They were all heading from potions to dark arts, Neville had asked Naruto to check on Trevor for him, because Snape had made Trevor drink the potion Neville made.

The moronic trio directly in front of the two of them.

"He's fine, Neville, no poison, you have to be confident in the potion you are brewing!" he told Neville who nodded, Naruto looked up to see Hermione phase out of existence.

"Where is she? She was right here." Ron asked as he had just turned around to talk to her.

"Naruto, have you seen Hermione." Harry asked,  
Naruto looked around and pointed to Hermione who was now at the bottom.

"There she is," he answered as he let Neville past him and waited for her with Harry and Ron.

Hermione was panting slightly, hurrying up the stairs; one hand clutched her bag, the other seemed to be tucking something down the front of her robes.

"How did you do that?" said Ron.

"What?" said Hermione, joining them.

"One minute you were right behind us, the next moment, you were back at the bottom of the stairs again."

"What?" Hermione looked slightly confused. "Oh - I had to go back for something. Oh no -"

A seam had split on Hermione's bag. They could see that it was crammed with at least a dozen large and heavy books.

"Why are you carrying all these around with you?" Ron asked her.

"You know how many subjects I'm taking!" said Hermione breathlessly. "Couldn't hold these for me, could you?"

"But -" Ron was turning over the books she had handed him, looking at the covers.

"You haven't got any of these subjects today. It's only Defense Against the Dark Arts this afternoon."

"Oh yes," said Hermione vaguely, but didn't look up to meet Naruto's gaze. She packed all the books back into her bag.

"I hope there's something good for lunch, I'm starving," she added, and she marched off toward the Great Hall.

"D'you get the feeling Hermione's not telling us something?" Ron asked the other two.

"Aren't we all." Naruto said as he followed after Hermione.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ron said, Harry shrugged his shoulders as they followed after Naruto as well.

After lunch they went for their DATDA lesson, Professor Lupin wasn't there when they arrived at his first Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson.

They all sat down, took out their books, quills, and parchment, and were talking when he finally entered the room. Lupin smiled vaguely and placed his tatty old briefcase on the teacher's desk. He was as shabby as ever but looked healthier than he had on the train, as though he had a few square meals.

"Good afternoon," he said. "Would you please put all your books back in your bags. Today's will be a practical lesson. You will need only your wands."

A few curious looks were exchanged as the class put away their books. They had never had a practical Defense Against the Dark Arts before, unless you counted the memorable class last year when their old teacher had brought a cageful of pixies to class and set them loose.

"Right then." said Professor Lupin, when everyone was ready. "If you'd follow me."

Puzzled but interested, the class got to its feet and followed Professor Lupin out of the classroom. He led them along the deserted corridor and around a corner, where the first thing they saw was Peeves the Poltergeist, who was floating upside down in midair and stuffing the nearest keyhole with chewing gum.

Peeves didn't look up until Professor Lupin was two feet away; then he wiggled his curly-toed feet and broke into song.

"Loony, loopy Lupin," Peeves sang. "Loony, loopy Lupin, loony, loopy Lupin -"

Rude and unmanageable as he almost always was, Peeves usually showed some respect toward the teachers. Everyone looked quickly at Professor Lupin to see how he would take this; to their surprise, he was still smiling.

"I'd take that gum out of the keyhole if I were you, Peeves," he said pleasantly. "Mr. Filch won't be able to get in, to his brooms."

Peeves, However, Peeves paid no attention to Professor Lupin's words, except to blow a loud wet raspberry.

Professor Lupin gave a small sigh and took out his wand.

"This is a useful little spell," he told the class over his shoulder. "Please watch closely."

He raised the wand to shoulder height, said, "Waddiwasi!" and pointed it at Peeves.

With the force of a bullet, the wad of chewing gum shot out of the keyhole and straight down Peeves's left nostril; he whirled upright and zoomed away, cursing.

"Cool, sir!" said Dean Thomas in amazement.

"Thank you, Dean," said Professor Lupin, putting his wand away again. "Shall we proceed?"

They set off again, the class looking at shabby Professor Lupin with increased respect. He led them down a second corridor and stopped, right outside the staffroom door.

"Inside, please," said Professor Lupin, opening it and standing back.

The staffroom, a long, paneled room full of old, mismatched chairs, was empty except for one teacher. Professor Snape was sitting in a low armchair, and he looked around as the class filed in.

His eyes were glittering and there was a nasty sneer playing around his mouth. As Professor Lupin came in and went to the door behind him, to close it.  
However before he did, Snape said, "Leave it open, Lupin. I'd rather not witness this."

He got to his feet and strode past the class, his black robes billowing behind him. At the doorway he turned on his heel and said, "Possibly no one's warned you, Lupin, but this class contains Neville Longbottom. I would advise you not to entrust him with anything difficult. Not unless Miss Granger or Mr. Namikaze are hissing instructions in his ear."

Neville went scarlet. Harry glared at Snape; it was bad enough that he bullied Neville in his own classes, let alone doing it in front of other teachers.

Professor Lupin had raised his eyebrows.

"I was hoping that Neville would assist me with the first stage of the operation," he said, "and I am sure he will perform it admirably."

Neville's face went, if possible, even redder. Snape's lip curled but he left, shutting the door with a snap.

"Now, then," said Professor Lupin, beckoning the class toward the end of the room, where there was nothing but an old wardrobe where the teachers kept their spare robes. As Professor Lupin went to stand next to it, the wardrobe gave a sudden wobble, banging off the wall.

"Nothing to worry about," said Professor Lupin calmly because a few people had jumped backward in alarm. "There's a boggart in there."

Most people seemed to feel that this was something to worry about, including Naruto.

Neville gave Professor Lupin a look of pure terror, and Seamus Finnigan eyed the now rattling door knob apprehensively.

"Boggarts like dark, enclosed spaces," said Professor Lupin.

"Wardrobes, the gap beneath beds, the cupboards under sinks - I've even met one that had lodged itself in a grandfather clock. This one moved in yesterday afternoon and I asked the headmaster if the staff would leave it to give my third years some first hand experience with it, the first question we must ask ourselves is, what is a boggart?"

Hermione put up her hand.

"It's a shape-shifter," she said. "It can take the shape of whatever it thinks will frighten us most."

"Couldn't have put it better myself," said Professor Lupin, and Hermione glowed.

"So the boggart sitting in the darkness within has not yet assumed a form. He does not yet know what will frighten the person on the other side of the door. Nobody knows what a boggart looks like when he is alone, but when I let him out, he will immediately become whatever each of us most fears."

"This means," said Professor Lupin, choosing to ignore Neville's mall sputter of terror, "that we have a huge advantage over the boggart before we begin. Have you spotted it, Harry?"

Trying to answer a question with Hermione next to him, bobbing up and down on the balls of her feet with her hand in the air, was very off-putting, but Harry had a go.

"Er - because there are so many of us, it won't know what shape it should be?"

"Precisely," said Professor Lupin, and Hermione put her hand down, looking a little disappointed.

"It's always best to have company when you're dealing with a boggart. He becomes confused. Which should he become, a headless corpse or a flesh-eating slug? I once saw a boggart make that very mistake - tried to frighten two people at once and turned himself into half a slug. Not remotely frightening."

"The charm that repels a boggart is simple, yet it requires force of mind. You see, the thing that really finishes a boggart is laughter. What you need to do is force it to assume a shape that you find amusing. We will practice the charm without wands first. After me, please - Riddikulus!"

"Riddikulus!" said the class together.

"Good," said Professor Lupin. "Very good. But that was the easy part, I'm afraid. You see, the word alone is not enough. And this is where you come in, Neville."

The wardrobe shook again, though not as much as Neville, who walked forward as though he were heading for the gallows.

"Right, Neville," said Professor Lupin. "First things first: what would you say is the thing that frightens you most in the world?"

Neville's lips moved, but no noise came out.

"Didn't catch that, Neville, sorry," said Professor Lupin cheerfully.

Neville looked around rather wildly, as though begging someone to help him, then said, in barely more than a whisper, "Professor Snape."

Nearly everyone laughed. Even Neville grinned apologetically. Professor Lupin, however, looked thoughtful.

"Professor Snape - hmmm - Neville, I believe you live with your grandmother?"

"Er - yes," said Neville nervously. "But - I don't want the boggart to turn into her either."

"No, no, you misunderstand me," said Professor Lupin, now smiling. "I wonder, could you tell us what sort of clothes your grandmother usually wears?"

Neville looked startled, but said,  
"Well - always the same hat. A tall one with a stuffed vulture on top and a long dress - green, normally - and sometimes a fox-fur scarf."

"And a handbag?" prompted Professor Lupin.

"A big red one," said Neville.

"Right then," said Professor Lupin. "Can you picture those clothes very clearly, Neville? Can you see them in your mind's eye?"

"Yes," said Neville uncertainly, plainly wondering what was coming next.

"When the boggart bursts out of this wardrobe, Neville, and sees You, it will assume the form of Professor Snape," said Lupin.  
"And You will raise your wand - thus - and cry 'Riddikulus' - and concentrate hard on your grandmother's clothes. If all goes well, Professor Boggart Snape will be forced into that vulture-topped hat, and that green dress, with that big red handbag."

There was a great shout of laughter. The wardrobe wobbled more violently.

"If Neville is successful, the boggart is likely to shift his attention to each of us in turn," said Professor Lupin. "I would like all of you to take a moment now to think of the thing that scares you most, and imagine how you might force it to look comical -"

The room went quiet.

For Naruto his fear had changed a lot these past few months, he was no longer afraid to be alone, the letters he exchanged every other day with his family were the proof but his fear had morphed, he was afraid of a image he had seen when he drank Bear's blood, of a very beautiful woman,with White pupil less eyes and very long White hair, everything around her was on fire, she looked at Naruto, smiled at him and said,

"You..." she had said something more but that was the last thing Naruto remembered, any further and he would have drowned in her power.

"Neville, we're going to back away," said Professor Lupin. "Let you have a clear field, all right? I'll call the next person forward... Everyone back, now, so Neville can get a clear shot -"

They all retreated, backed against the walls, leaving Neville alone beside the wardrobe. He looked pale and frightened, but he had pushed up the sleeves of his robes and was holding his wand ready.

"On the count of three, Neville," said Professor Lupin, who was pointing his own wand at the handle of the wardrobe. "One two - three - now!"

Professor Lupin waved his wand and The wardrobe burst open. Hook-nosed and menacing, Professor Snape stepped out, his eyes flashing at Neville.

Neville backed away, his wand up, mouthing wordlessly. Snape was bearing down upon him, reaching inside his robes.

"R - r - riddikulus!" squeaked Neville.

There was a noise like a whip crack. Snape stumbled; he was wearing a long, lace-trimmed dress and a towering hat topped with a moth-eaten vulture, and he was swinging a huge crimson handbag.

There was a roar of laughter; the boggart paused, confused, and Professor Lupin shouted, "Parvati! Forward!"

Parvati walked forward, her face set. Snape rounded on her. There was another crack, and where he had stood was a bloodstained, bandaged mummy; its sightless face was turned to Parvati and it began to walk toward her very slowly, dragging its feet, its stiff arms rising -

"Riddikulus!" cried Parvati.

A bandage unraveled at the mummy's feet; it became entangled, fell face forward, and its head rolled off.

"Seamus!" roared Professor Lupin. Seamus darted past Parvati.

Crack! Where the mummy had been was a woman with floor length black hair and a skeletal, green-tinged face - a banshee. She opened her mouth wide and an unearthly sound filled the room, a long, wailing shriek - 'Riddikulus!" shouted Seamus.

The banshee made a rasping noise and clutched her throat; her voice was gone.

Crack! The banshee turned into a rat, which chased its tail in a circle, then - crack!- became a rattlesnake, which slithered and writhed before - crack! - becoming a single, bloody eyeball.

"It's confused!" shouted Lupin.

"We're getting there! Dean!" Dean hurried forward.

Crack! The eyeball became a severed hand, which flipped over and began to creep along the floor like a crab.

"Riddikulus!" yelled Dean.

There was a snap, and the hand was trapped in a mousetrap.

"Excellent! Ron, you're next!"

Ron leapt forward.

Crack!

Quite a few people screamed. A giant spider, six feet tall and covered in hair, was advancing on Ron, clicking its pincers menacingly. For a moment, Ron had frozen. Then -  
"Riddikulus!" bellowed Ron, and the spider's legs vanished; it rolled over and over; Lavender Brown squealed and ran out of its way and it came to a halt at Naruto's feet. He raised his wand, ready.

The boggart jumped up and backed towards the wardrobe, it then started to turn into a woman,

At first everyone wondered why he was afraid of such a beautiful woman but then the effects started to take place, she was still floating in the air, the surrounding area seemed to have gotten hotter.

Her hair were so long that even though she was floating a couple of feet above ground they reached the ground, as she moved in the air, blue fire seemed to be generating around her in wisps, all students went rigid; Dread washing over them.

She gently started to float towards Naruto, Lupin was about to move, Naruto had finally gathered his strength to say the charm when the boogart started to speak,

"You are a fool Naruto Namikaze, and you will lose everything! I’m comming soon -"

"Riddikulus!"

Her hair wrapped around her body and she turned to a mummy.

Naruto started stumbling back and didn't stop till he was leaning against the wall, whatever happened next he didn't know, the pure fear coursing through his body summoned Kurama to his mind. Her voice tried to help him but he still didn't recover.

Hermione and Lupin both came to his side, he could see their lips moving but couldn't make out what they were saying, all he could hear was ringing in his ears, until he heard Kurama's voice.

"It's alright she is not here yet. It's ok Naruto."

Naruto returned to his senses to see Hermione, Lupin, Ron and Harry standing over him. He was shedding tears but not letting out any sound. He finally returned to his senses.

"I am alright." he said as he grabbed Kurama and hugged her, she also comforted him.

"I am fine, thanks." He said as he wiped his tears and got up with Lupin's help.

"What the hell was that!?" Ron finally asked.

"Ronald!" Hermione said,

"No, it's alright, I was going to tell you all as soon as this Black mess was over but might as well now." Naruto said as Kurama disappeared in White flames.

"What might that be?" Lupin asked intrigued.

"The Bird, The Beast and The Brave is indeed coming true, The Bird and The Beast have already made a move, that was the Beast, I 'encountered' her on Crimson island and have been marked for death by her. That's why I am so afraid of her." He said dropping the bomb.

Hermione and Ron covered their mouths in fear, While Lupin went wide eyed. Harry seemed out of loop like usual.

"No." Ron muttered.

"Does Dumbledore know about this?" Lupin asked.

"I don't know. I am sorry guys but I need some water." Naruto said, his throat was extremely dry.

"Don't be sorry, here is a piece of chocolate as well, I've heard you already know why it is used." Lupin said, he was ready with a cup of water and a bar of chocolate.

He nodded as he took the offered things and they started leaving.

"Don't worry about people making fun of you about this, everyone was scared to death as soon as they saw it, Malfoy might have even cried." Harry said.

"Honestly, man! People making fun of me is the last thing I care about." Naruto said.

They all went to the common room, there many asked Naruto the same question but here he told them that it was just a very old creature he had encountered on the Crimson island which had not escaped his mind, he was not actually lying.

Soon It was October, Naruto was sitting at the same spot where he and Betty had the fear conversation last year, listening to music on his Walkman, he was thinking about the day Naruto dreaded was coming nearer and nearer, 10 October.

Over the last two years he had told everyone that his birthday was on 10 July (his mother's birthday) and since he would always be somewhere unpredictable during that time he wouldn't have to worry about people wishing him anything during that time.

While he would spent his real birthday like any other day but not this year, over the course that he was comatosed Mrs. Weasley had gotten in a conversation with his mother;

Mrs. Weasley brought some tea and handed it to Kushina, she couldn't start to fathom what she was going through.

"Here Kushina, drink some tea."

Kushina accepted the tea with a weak smile and muttered.

"Thanks Molly."

"The tragedy keeps on increasing with each passing day, to be in a coma so close to his birthday." Molly said as she stroked Kushina's back, others just looked at Naruto.

Kushina perked up at that,

"What are you talking about?"

Molly and the others looked confused,

"Isn't his birthday on the 10th of July that's what Ron told us." She said.

"No! It's mine, his birthday is on the 10th of October." Kushina replied.

"Ronald!" Molly started.

"I swear mom, that's what he told us." Ron defended, the other kids also nodded in Ron's support.

"Why would he lie about that?" Molly asked more to herself than others; it was Kurama, who was on top of his tank that started.

"It's because he hates his birthday and doesn't want anyone making a big fuss about it, that's why he lies about it."

"Why would he hate his own birthday?" Betty asked.

"That is something you have to ask him."

He hated his birthday because he had always celebrated it alone, The elders that had assigned Irene as his Caretaker would always prevent Irene from attending it. He was in these thoughts when Professor McGonagall's shadow appeared over him, she waited for him to remove his headphones.

"Anything I can help you with, Professor?"

"Yes, I was extremely happy to hear that even in your injury you are not sitting around and playing pranks but actually taking initiative to help your juniors, I have, of course given Ms. Cooper the permission form." She said with a smile.

Naruto was extremely confused at this.

"Sorry Professor, I know it might sound weird but what are you talking about?" Naruto asked.


	41. Book 3 Chapter 8: The Owl Post

Ginny, Betty and Luna were sitting in the garden, when two Slytherin boys walked up to them.

"So, we heard you found yourselves some safe place in the castle, don't think for a moment that, that prevents us from teaching the three of you your place." The kid said.

"Go away, Charles." Ginny said.

"Ohh, it seems like Ginger needs some teaching." The kid said as he started to take his wand out but he was picked up from behind and thrown back.

"Yeah! Yeah! Walk away Junior Draco. I have some business here."  
It was Naruto, the kids might have wanted to say otherwise but as soon as they saw who it was, they bolted.

"Thanks Naruto! You saved us from trouble." Betty said as she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Ohh! don't thank me till you hear this, I just had an interesting conversation with McGonagall minutes ago." He started.

"Oh no! We forgot!" Ginny shouted.

"We are so sorry!" Betty added.

"Don't be sorry, find Luna and come to the 'new office' I believe we need to have a conversation." Naruto said as he started walking away.

Naruto then left the two girls to do the task he had assigned them, as he headed towards the room McGonagall had told him about, he soon found the room near the Library, as he took out the key that was given to him by McGonagall and used it to open the door. He entered to find a couple of desks in the middle of the room, empty cabinet by the wall and some chairs all covered in sheets and collecting dust.

He removed the sheets and took out his wand and waved it around, the room cleaned itself up and now looked as new. Soon there was knock on the door and the three girls entered.

"We brought Luna." Betty said as she entered.

The three girls entered the room to see Naruto sitting on the table and three chairs set in front of him.

"Sit and tell me why? And what?" Naruto said,

Then they started explaining.

The thing that Naruto was pulled into was, the three girls had apparently started a school magazine.

Something called The Owl Post, he was also a part of it, the plan was that Ginny would write about Sports, that is Quidditch; Luna would post her theories about things, just like her father would and Betty would write about all the things that were going around in the world and school, along with entertainment section and finally Naruto was apparently in charge of writing about some section called Magical creatures of the month.

"Why though?" Naruto asked the million dollar question.

"Because this school is a town in its own right and not everyone knows everything, we all just play along with whatever is happening and create theories based on rumours, we need to know the truth and for that we need a medium. So since all of us had the same thoughts, we wrote to Professor McGonagall and she accepted." Betty replied.

"Acceptable but why me?" Naruto asked.

"Because of two reasons, one you have great knowledge on almost everything and second you are always somehow in the thick of it, so you know, as a source." Ginny said.

"Wow! Got played by three 12 year old girls, shouldn't have slept in your compartment. Huh." Naruto said, he was impressed by the cheekiness of the three girls.

"So will you help us?" Luna asked.

"Of course I will, got nothing better to do." Naruto said.

"So, what are the deadlines? What is the procedure going to be like?" He added.

All three of them squealed in delight as they started to talk the rest of the details over, details like two editions per month and 32 pages in each edition.

In which Naruto's first assignment was to get 8 pages on Hippogriffs, in relation to everything that was going on about the rumours on Hagrid's first class. So with photos, anatomy, uses, care and known trivia he would fill 8 pages within a day or two. So he left to get the 'eye' from his briefcase to take Buckbeak's photos..

Later days went by, it was midnight on the 9th when Naruto was woken up by all his dormitory mates shouting.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

The boys then took him down the stairs to see the entire Quidditch team, All Weasley's, his entire year mates, a lot of other Gryffindor. All of them standing around a huge cake and a lot of snacks and sodas. They all shouted.

"SURPRISE!"

Now, Naruto hated his birthday but over the last few months his life had turned around and this surprise actually left him flabbergasted. He smiled at them and said.

"I love you guys and thank you so much!" Naruto answered.

They all partied for the hour and then wished him again and went to sleep.

The next morning, they were having breakfast when amongst the owls, a Hawks scream came, everyone looked up to see a huge hawk carrying a big package fly above them.  
It dropped the package directly above Naruto and the trio, Ron caught the package and the hawk circled around and landed on Naruto's extended hand, it was just as big as Amaterasu.

Naruto picked up a fruit bowl and held it to the hawk who happily started to eat, so he placed the hawk on the table and then finally moved to the package that Ron had placed on the table, He picked up the letter and read out loud.

* * *

_Happy birthday Naru.!_

_I know you cannot play Quidditch this year but since your Nimbus was destroyed and I don't want you to get out of practise for your next summer with us, I couldn't hold myself back. This is an amateur version of my professional version._

_P.S. Don't tell Ma and Ba about this or they'll kill both of us._

_Love you._

_Erza._

* * *

Naruto immediately put the letter in his bag.

"This is from Erza 'The Scarlet' Uzumaki!" Seamus shouted as he heard Naruto read the letter.

They all started to tear the package to finally show, a racing broom but not any racing broom.

"This is Rudra 1993, the best broom for chasers!" Harry shouted as they saw the broom.

"I am going for a ride." Naruto said in a monotone voice, he was so excited that his excitement had gone full circle and came out as monotone. He got up to pet the hawk and ran out.

"I want the next turn!" Harry shouted as he ran after him, soon followed by all his friends.

As soon as they reached him, they saw him mounting the broom and jumping.  
The next few things that happened, happened in seconds.  
One moment he was standing among his friends and the next he was above the castle.

He enjoyed this feeling, the wind rushing to his face, this was the fastest he had ever moved in his life and he loved every second of it, He went as high as he could and then did a rotation in the air and dived back down.

He started to feel the strain in his right hand, so during his descent he slowed down to move in circles around his friends and then landed calmly by his friends.

"That was amazing!" Fred.

"That was so fast!" George.

"Everybody gets a turn, but if anybody does anything to her, I'ma murder you." Naruto said in a monotone. They all promised to be safe while they rode the broom, and he handed the broom to the person closest to him.

An hour later, Harry walked back in the hall, the broom still looking like it did when he unpacked it, Harry handed him the broom back which he placed back in the box and packed the box in his sling back.

"This is the most amazing broom in the world! It's a shame you won't be playing with it this year." Harry said,

"Ugh! Don't remind me!" Naruto said as they were about to head to class. As he took out a piece of parchment to write his reply to her and then tied it around the still happily munching Hawk's leg.

Naruto's next gift would arrive when he was hanging by the trees, in his spot a similar hawk would arrive carrying a small box while he was helping his magazine crew with some of their stuff.

It arrived similarly as the last Hawk did, Naruto caught the package and placed it aside and waited for the hawk to land on Naruto's hand, this time Naruto took out a bunch of seeds from his bag and placed them on the ground, the hawk started eating them, He picked up the package now and read the letter.

* * *

_Happy birthday Love,_

_Giving this to you breaks my heart but makes me proud at the same time but when Shizune and the others convinced me to do so, with their arguments I couldn't help but finally agree._

_I hope you are keeping that arm safe, both me and Shizune were quite impressed with the work you send us, it has some holes but a lot of promise, even after the promise between us I am thousand times galder that you are spending more time in research than fighting, see you during the summer._

_Love from Me and Shizune._

* * *

He opened Tsunade and Shizune package and as soon as he opened it his heart fell. The other girls looked inside the box to see a metal plate fixed on a very expensive looking cloth, the metal had something engraved in it in Japanese.

"What is this?" Luna asked.

"I've been named, it's a special name given to the warriors of The People of the Forest, it is greatest of honor, Baa gave my Grandpa the name, 'The Gallant' when she married him, then my Ba gave my father the name, 'The Yellow Flash' both these names came with a band that had kanji for the names on them, it's a huge deal, many have spent their entire life trying to earn a name but couldn't."

"Wow, such a rich background, I knew I should have read more books on the traditions around the world." Betty said,,

Naruto nodded with tears in his eyes, he took out the band and held it with both his hands.

"Wow! What did they name you?" Luna asked excitedly along with the other two.

"Kitsune, The Fox."

Naruto said as he kissed the band and then gently placed it back in the box, he wrote a reply to them and tied it around the Hawk's leg.

Finally his gifts from Kushina and Mito both arriving through the communication box, there were a scrolls with a notes from Kushina and a small box with a letter from Mito

* * *

_Happy birthday Naru,_

_Enjoy I made your favourite,_

_Love mom._

* * *

He instantly pulled out the scrolls to put it on the table and channelled magic into it, so in a puff of smoke a full Japanese meal platter appeared on the table, in the centre a large bowl of steaming-

"Ramen!"

But before he chowed down on it, he turned to Mito's letter and box, he read the letter.

* * *

_Happy birthday Naru._

_At first I was going to write your name in patent but then I realised why you didn't want your name on it, it was so you wouldn't mark me as a target in front of The Children of The Beast as your accomplice like Dad and Irene marked you. So, Instead I am sending you a prototype of something amazing I got from a friend in Africa, She sent me two before they hit the market and I am sending you one._

_P.S. it's one of a kind, write an amazing review and send it to me later so I can pass it to her, she would like that._

_Love Mito._

* * *

He smiled as he opened the box to see black beads with glowing blue symbols.

He was fluent in Japanese, Latin, English and Chinese so when he did not have any idea what these symbols meant he knew it wasn't one of them. He just put it on his right hand, the symbols changed colour into red and Naruto felt magic flood his system, then it changed back to blue.

Naruto would look more into them later, first he needed to eat his mother's home cooked meal but before he did, he read what these beads were called, written on the inside of the lid of the box was Kimoyo Beads.


	42. Book 3 Chapter 9: Sirius Black and the Truth Finders

Naruto returned to the Gryffindor common room one evening after some research, stiff from sitting all day along with pain and numbness in his right hand but pleased with the way research had gone, to find the room buzzing excitedly.

"What's happened?" He asked Ron, Hermione, and Harry who were sitting on the best chairs by the fireside and completing some star charts for Astronomy.

"First Hogsmeade weekend!" said Ron, pointing at a notice that had appeared on the battered old bulletin board. "End of October. Halloween."

"So, why does he look like someone's died?" Naruto said as he sat down on the arm of Ron's chair, pointing to Harry.

"Because he can't go." Hermione said.

"Because my form wasn't signed." Harry said.

"Right, right those Dursely's really are a pain in the ass aren't they." Naruto said, more stated.

"Why don't you give it to Dean, he can forge signatures like a charm." He suggested.

"Ok! First that is a crime and second he already talked to Professor McGonagall and told her his form wasn't signed." Hermione lectured.

"Already went through this idea, huh." Naruto whispered, Ron and Harry nodded.

They heard a sniff from behind and looked behind to see.

Lavender Brown seemed to be crying. Parvati had her arm around her and was explaining something to Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who were looking very serious.

"What's the matter, Lavender?" asked Naruto anxiously as he, Harry, Ron and Hermione went to join the group.

"She got a letter from home this morning," Parvati whispered.

"It's her rabbit, Binky. He's been killed by a fox."

"Amazing Hunters aren't they?" Naruto said, but everyone looked at him with a look that said, Not-appropriate.

"Sorry." he whispered.

"Oh," said Hermione, "I'm sorry, Lavender."

"I should have known!" said Lavender tragically. "You know what day it is?"

"16th October, but what's that gotta do with your rabbit's death." Naruto said, they once again gave him looks that shouted, 'rude,'

"'That thing you're dreading, it will happen on the sixteenth of October!' Remember? She was right, she was right!"

The whole class was gathered around Lavender now. Seamus shook his head seriously. Hermione hesitated; then she said.

"You - you were dreading Binky being killed by a fox?"

While Naruto whispered to Ron.

"Am I missing something?"

"Oh yeah you aren't in divination!" Ron answered and said, "later."

Naruto just nodded.

"Well, not necessarily by a fox," said Lavender, looking up at Hermione with streaming eyes, "but I was obviously dreading him dying, wasn't l?"

"Oh," said Hermione. She paused again, then continued.

"Was Binky an old rabbit?"

"N - no!" sobbed Lavender. "H - he was only a baby!"  
Parvati tightened her arms around Lavender's shoulders.

"But then, why would you dread him dying?" said Hermione.

Parvati glared at her.

"Well, look at it logically," said Hermione, turning to the rest of the group.

"I mean, Binky didn't even die today, did he? Lavender just got the news today-" Lavender wailed loudly. "- and she can't have been dreading it, because it's come as a real shock -"

"I got everything now." Naruto said, some prophecy by Professor Trelawney and the usual battle between a believer and skeptic.  
"Don't mind Hermione, Lavender," said Ron loudly, "she doesn't think that other people's pets matter very much."

Ron and Hermione started glaring at each other and before things could escalate, Naruto said.

"Alright." He went forward and then bent down by Lavender's legs looking directly in her eyes.

"I love all animals and plants so believe me when I say, I know how much it hurts when a life is lost, but you have to realise everything has a cycle, maybe the fox killed your rabbit for her babies? And if the walking ghosts around us are any proof, his or -?"

"His." Lavender said not crying anymore.

"His journey is not over, maybe among us it is, but not completely, maybe the only reason he was with you was so that when he started his next journey there must be someone here who remembers him, so how do you want to remember him? With tears or the giggles that you shared with him,"

Everybody was silent, Lavender was smiling now.

"Come on! How?" Naruto said, smiling as well.

"With giggles! Of course." Lavender said, smiling brighter than before. Everybody else was also smiling now.

"So, share some of his stories." He said as he got up and joined the others as Lavender and the other girls started to talk and giggle.

"That was a really nice thing you did. Very mature." Naruto heard from behind him.

Professor McGonagall had apparently snuck up in the common room during his talk with Lavender. Naruto startled and embarrassed jumped out of his place and moved. She was smiling at him, then she turned to the rest of the house.

"One moment, please!" she called as the house started to pay attention to her.

"All third years you should hand Hogsmeade permission forms to me before Halloween. No form, no visiting the village, so don't forget!"

Neville put up his hand.

"Please, Professor, I - I think I've lost -!"

"Your grandmother sent yours to me directly, Longbottom," said Professor McGonagall.  
"She seemed to think it was safer. Well, that's all, you may go back to whatever you were doing."

Harry's mood dropped.

"There's always the feast," said Ron, in an effort to cheer Harry up.

"You know, the Halloween feast, in the evening."

"Yeah," said Harry gloomily, "great."

Ron halfheartedly suggested the Invisibility Cloak but Hermione stamped on that one, reminding Ron what Dumbledore had told them about the dementors being able to see through them. Percy had what were possibly the least helpful words of comfort.

"They make a fuss about Hogsmeade, but I assure you, Harry, it's not all it's cracked up to be," he said seriously. "All right, the sweet shop's rather good, and Zonko's Joke Shop is frankly dangerous, and yes, the Shrieking Shack is always worth a visit, but really, Harry, apart from that, you're not missing anything."

"Wow! Next time I want someone reverse motivated. I'll call you Bighead boy." Naruto said as Fred and George snickered behind him. Percy huffed and left.

On Halloween morning, They all went to the ground and were about to leave for Hogsmeade, while Harry was standing on the doorway.

"You are looking like a maiden waiting for her lover. It's alright man you can come next time."

Naruto said, in his mind he already planned to go around with the Twins, he really wanted to buy some prank stuff.

"We'll bring you lots of sweets back from Honeydukes," said Hermione, looking desperately sorry for him, while also pinching Naruto's arm.

"Yeah, loads," said Ron. He and Hermione had finally forgotten their squabble about Crookshanks in the face of Harry's difficulties.

"Don't worry about me," said Harry, in what he hoped was at, offhand voice, "I'll see you at the feast. Have a good time."

Naruto and the others returned and right now the three were talking to Harry in the common room.

"What's Hogsmeade like? Where did you go?" Harry asked.

They told him everything, the things that they did, bought, ate and drank. So, here they were.

"What did you do?" said Hermione, looking anxious. "Did you get any work done?"

"No," said Harry. "Lupin made me a cup of tea in his office. And then Snape came in..."

He told them all about the goblet. Ron's mouth fell open.

"Lupin drank it?" he gasped. "Is he mad?"

"It was smoking, are you sure?" Naruto asked.

"Yeah, Why?" Harry asked intrigued.

"No reason." Naruto said as he started to go over Lupin's image in his head, now he had proof, Lupin was a werewolf.

"I need his blood." Naruto said in the middle of his thoughts.

"What?" Hermione asked, among the conversation she was having with the other two.

"What?" Naruto said.

"You said, 'I need his blood.'" Hermione said.

"Did I say that out loud?" Naruto said.

"Yes, so what are you on about this time." Ron asked.

"Do you honestly want to know what goes on inside my mind." Naruto said.

"Honestly, No." Harry and Ron said at the same time.

Hermione might have wanted to protest but the other's movement out of the common room down to Great hall interrupted her comment.

After an amazing Feast, they were all returning to Gryffindor common room but when they reached the corridor that ended with the portrait of the Fat Lady, they found it jammed with students.

"Why isn't anyone going in?" said Ron curiously.

"Maybe Neville forgot the password and over tried, locking all of us out." Naruto said, with a smirk, fully aware Neville was walking right beside him.

He heard a 'hey!' From his side and he turned to Neville and said.

"Just kidding man, I knew you were next to me."

The other's chuckled.

Harry peered over the heads in front of him.

The portrait seemed to be closed.

"Let me through, please," came Percy's voice, and he came bustling importantly through the crowd.

"What's the holdup here? You can't all have forgotten the password - excuse me, I'm Head Boy -"

Then a silence fell over the crowd, from the front first, so that a chill seemed to spread down the corridor. They heard Percy say, in a suddenly sharp voice.

"Somebody get Professor Dumbledore. Quick."

People's heads turned; those at the back were standing on tiptoe.

"What's going on?" said Ginny, who had just arrived.

A moment later, Professor Dumbledore was there, sweeping toward the portrait; the Gryffindors squeezed together to let him through, and The four moved closer to see what the trouble was.

"Oh, my -!" Hermione grabbed Naruto's arm.

The Fat Lady had vanished from her portrait, which had been slashed so viciously that strips of canvas littered the floor; great chunks of it had been torn away completely.

Dumbledore took one quick look at the ruined painting and turned, his eyes somber, to see Professors McGonagall, Lupin, and Snape hurrying toward him.

"We need to find her," said Dumbledore. "Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr. Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady."

"You'll be lucky!" said a cackling voice.

It was Peeves the Poltergeist, bobbing over the crowd and looking delighted, as he always did, at the sight of wreckage or worry.

"What do you mean, Peeves?" said Dumbledore calmly, and Peeves's grin faded a little.  
He didn't dare taunt Dumbledore. Instead he adopted an oily voice that was no better than his cackle.  
"Ashamed, Your Headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between the trees. Crying something dreadful," he said happily.  
"Poor thing," he added unconvincingly.

"Did she say who did it?" said Dumbledore quietly.

"Oh yes, Professorhead," said Peeves, with the air of one cradling a large bombshell in his arms.  
"He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see." Peeves flipped over and grinned at Dumbledore from between his own legs.  
"Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."

"Oh shit." Naruto whispered to himself. He could smell trouble.

Professor Dumbledore sent all the Gryffindors back to the Great Hall, where they were joined ten minutes later by the students from Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin, who all looked extremely confused.

"The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle," Professor Dumbledore told them as Professors McGonagall and Flitwick closed all doors into the hall.  
"I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I want the prefects to stand guard over the entrances to the hall and I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge. Any disturbance should be reported to me immediately,"

He added to Percy, who was looking immensely proud and important. "Send word with one of the ghosts."

Professor Dumbledore paused, about to leave the hall, and said, "Oh, yes, you'll be needing"

One casual wave of his wand and the long tables flew to the edges of the hall and stood themselves against the walls; another wave, and the floor was covered with hundreds of squashy purple sleeping bags.

"Sleep well," said Professor Dumbledore, closing the door behind him.

The hall immediately began to buzz excitedly; the Gryffindors were telling the rest of the school what had just happened.

"Everyone into their sleeping bags!" shouted Percy. "Come on, now, no more talking! Lights out in ten minutes!"

"C'mon," Ron said to Harry and Naruto; the girls were sleeping on the other side, they seized three sleeping bags and dragged them into a corner.

"Do you think Black's still in the castle?" Harry whispered anxiously.

"Dumbledore obviously thinks he might be," said Ron.

"It's very lucky he picked tonight, you know," said Naruto as they climbed fully dressed into their sleeping bags and propped themselves on their elbows to talk.

"The one night we weren't in the tower -!" he added.

"I reckon he's lost track of time, being on the run." said Ron.  
"Didn't realize it was Halloween. Otherwise he'd have come bursting in here."

The entire school was still talking about this, now a little louder.

"Maybe he knows how to Apparate," said a Ravenclaw a few feet away, "Just appear out of thin air, you know."

"Disguised himself, probably," said a Hufflepuff fifth year. "He could've flown in," suggested Dean Thomas.

"Honestly, am I the only person who's ever bothered to read Hogwarts, A History?" said Hermione crossly from across.

"Probably," said Ron.

"Definitely." Naruto said.

"Why?" Harry asked.

"Because the castle's protected by more than walls, You know -!" said Hermione.

"There are all sorts of enchantments on it, to stop people entering by stealth. You can't just Apparate here and I'd like to see the disguise that could fool those dementors. They're guarding every single entrance to the grounds. They'd have seen him fly in too and Fitch knows all the secret passages, they'll have them covered -!"

"The lights are going out now!" Percy shouted.  
"I want everyone in their sleeping bags and no more talking!"

And the lights went out, Naruto's last thoughts being that if Black had infiltrated the castle he needed to be vigilant and might even need to keep a sharp eye on Harry.

Next morning.

Naruto was reading one of his grandfather's journals on one of the smaller walls on the edge of the small enclosed ground in the castle. Suddenly he felt a strong presence moving towards him from one the corridors behind him, he instantly recognised it and without turning said.

"Professor McGonagall."

"I was right to presume you would be more vigilant after the attack." She said as Naruto turned.

"It's unfortunate but Hogwarts is not safe, for anyone especially Harry." He said.

"You know!" She was taken aback by this.

"Minister told me at the start of the year, told me to keep an eye on him." Naruto said,

"And that is why I am here. All teachers agree that you are not any ordinary student, so we thought both as classmates and friends you would keep an eye on him." She said.

"I am." Naruto said as he nodded to the ground for her to notice Harry, Ron and Hermione discussing something by a tree in the ground in Naruto's eyesight.

McGonagall smiled.

"You are a good friend, Naruto but I must tell him that he is in danger himself, if you'll excuse me." She said.

"Thank you ma'am and of course." Naruto replies with a smile as she leaves and he starts reading the journal again.

He looked up to see McGonagall take him to her office. Naruto looked at the time to see it was time for Quidditch, even though he could not play this year. He still attended the practise in support and to give occasional tips to others. Mostly Katie Bell, the person who had taken his place in the team.

Naruto was walking to his DATDA class when he felt a strong unknown presence stalking him. He reached for his wand and turned around but didn't fire a spell.

"I don't know why but I cannot string something together I have been trying, it's something a friend of mine mentioned to me. According to Her, from all she could gather from old school records, you, Lupin and Harry's dad were best of friends along with the man you killed,"

"What I cannot string together was why did the Potters give you their location? If a 12 year old amateur reporter can unearth the fact that they trusted you the most, what could he, leader of a cult in my honest opinion unearth and they still trusted you with it? Why? It was all so perfectly brought together. "

"Too damn perfect in my opinion. Don't get me wrong I don't trust you one bit and if you attacked right now, I would be able to defeat you but something tells me that you are not after Harry. So, I want to give you a chance. Make no mistake, betray me and I will hunt you down. I have your smell now but tomorrow is a Quidditch match."

"Everyone will be at the pitch opposite to here, Even the dementors would be. If you can give me some form of lead that can help me prove your innocence by then. I'll help you get what you want. If you agree, walk away and if you don't, you better run, because tomorrow night I am coming after you, ending this game of cat and mouse you are playing with my friend."

He waited and felt as the presence walked away.

"I cannot believe this but Betty might be right, maybe he is innocent." Naruto said to himself.

What he was referring to was that after they had put out the first edition of the owl post, it was a booming success so much so that some Students even sent it to their parents and siblings at home.

Betty's story on Hagrid's journey from outcast to gatekeeper to Professor was the reason that his sacking was stopped without Dumbledore needing to lift a finger in the matter.

Ginny's story on him and the other Quidditch players including interviews on how they felt about each game this year was so moving that Wood had started crying saying he will always keep this with himself to remind himself of school when he graduates this year.

Every single person loved Luna's weird stories and theories and finally his photographs, data and Hagrid's interview on Hippogriffs were so amazing that Professor Sprout reached out to him, to ask if he would do a piece on plants which he was more than happy to oblige.

He was currently working on wand woods, more specifically Alder but that was not all. After Betty had done her piece, Madam Prince had given her access to the school records on her own accord, which was a huge thing and while searching for her piece on Lupin as the rumoured 'best DATDA teacher' she had come across a detail that Lupin was actually in the same year as both Black and Potter.

She dug around more and found out about Peter Pettigrew, Black's wizard victim and how he was also in the same year.  
Soon, she had unearthed a lot of things along with theories that she shared with Naruto, Naruto had asked her to drop it but he couldn't let it out of his head and then Black had attacked Gryffindor tower.

Harry and Ron also told him about the conversation they had overheard Snape and Dumbledore having, It was then that Naruto had asked his Dealer to get him every piece of information related to Black.

It had cost him 5 Galleons and all he got out of it he had shared with Black but he was missing a couple of crucial pieces of information which could only be provided by someone who was there, He didn't find anybody that would tell it to him so he had asked the one person who would be walking the knife's edge and would either blab or walk. Depending on what happens tomorrow he would talk to Betty about whatever had happened to him.

He left the grounds and reached just in time for the DATDA class to begin, he was sitting next to Neville, while Harry sat in front of him alone.

They were waiting for Professor Lupin, When Snape marched into the class. He went directly in front of the class while closing all the windows and pulled down the projector screen, and said.

"Turn to page 394."

"Excuse me, sir, but - where's Professor Lupin?" Harry was the one brave enough to speak for the entire class.

"That's not really your concern, is it, Potter? Suffice it to say, your Professor finds himself incapable of teaching at the present time. Page 394." Snape replied sharply.

Naruto just opened his book to the page in hopes for a quiet class, but of course why would the universe give him that. He turned to the page and read, Werewolves, all he could think was, 'of course.'

"Werewolves?" Ron asked Snape as soon as his book was opened to the page by Snape.

"But, sir, we've only just begun learning about Red Caps and Hinkypunks. We're not meant to start nocturnal beasts for weeks -!" it was Hermione who had suddenly materialised in front of him.

"Quiet!" Snape snapped.

"When did she come in? Did you see her come in -!" Ron whispered to Harry.

"Now. Which of you can tell me the difference between an Animagus and a werewolf?"  
Naruto knew the answer but he never spoke in Snape's class, he did as he was told it was a form of deal between them, for some reason Snape really wanted to keep his image as a Gryffindor hater intact. So, he along with most of the class just kept quiet.

"No one? How - disappointing." Snape said as he finally turned back to the class.

"Please, sir, an Animagus is a wizard who elects to turn into an animal. A werewolf has no choice in the matter. Furthermore, the werewolf actively hunts humans and responds only to the call of its own kind -"

Malfoy lets out a low howl.

"Quiet, Malfoy! Though one must admit to feeling your pain. That is the second time you have spoken out of turn, Miss Granger. Tell me. Are you incapable of restraining yourself? Or do you take pride in being an insufferable know-it-all?" Snape berated Hermione as she turned red.

"He's got a point, you know." Ron whispered to Harry while at the same time Naruto came to her defence.

"Then why did you ask if you didn't want an answer?"

Snape had always admired Naruto's quality of standing up for and with his friend but he still needed to make a statement.

"Five points from Gryffindor!" He shouted, The Gryffindor house had pretty much gotten used to this by now. So they ignored it as if it was nothing.

"As an antidote to your ignorance, I prescribe two rolls of parchment on the werewolf by Monday morning, with particular emphasis placed on recognizing it." Snape told the class even as they released groans.

"But sir! We have Quidditch tomorrow." Harry protested.

"So, I advise you to exercise caution, loss of limb won't excuse you." Snape told him.

The next day they were getting ready to go to the match when Ron and Hermione noticed Naruto was not joining them.

"Why aren't you coming?" Ron asked.

"I don't want to watch the game while I should be playing it so I am going to the other side of the castle to chill." Naruto replied.

"It's alright but you should watch out for yourself, Black is still out there." Hermione said, accepting Naruto's excuse, since it made sense.

"Then see you after the game mate." Ron said as he tightened his rain gear and left with the others.

Naruto waited for some time and then after he was sure that no one was left in the castle, he went to the same spot as yesterday, and saw Black was there, still hiding in the bushes.  
However, waiting for Naruto, sticking out from under a stone were some papers. Naruto moved close to the stone and removed it to pick up the papers.

He found them to be torn papers from books, First chapters with titles, in order. First page read Animagus, the second read Map, third Fidelius Charm and last page was from a muggle studies book, Godparents.  
Naruto's mind went haywire, he started to piece things together and then said.

"You are an Animagus! That's how you escaped! Dementor's cannot sense animals. I don't know what this 'map' means but I believe it has something to do with a lead which I can follow to get to the truth and Fidelius charm means Secret Holder, you were the secret holder but of what? Or - The true Traitor was the secret holder of Potter's location! So I find the traitor and I find the truth! Godparents? Are you Harry's?" He asked where the presence stood and got a bark.

"So I am right, huh?!" Naruto muttered this was far from anything he had imagined.

"Ok, ok I have to go but since you risked so much, here -" Naruto took out the first wand he had gotten from Crimson island and threw it in Black's General direction.

"That will help you survive, but until I figure out more stuff, like I trusted you, you trust me and don't do anything stupid, please." Naruto said as he felt black escape with the wand in tow.

"I need to bring in the other three girls on this, I need to figure out the truth." Naruto said as he turned around and left.

He met up with a bunch of celebrating Hufflepuff's and they told him what happened at the game so he instantly made a beeline to the hospital wing, to find everyone around Harry's bed, looking over him.

"I came as soon as I heard." He told them as he reached them.

"Looks a bit peaky, doesn't he?" Ron said looking over him.

"Peaky? What d'you expect him to look like? He fell over a hundred feet." Fred said.

"Yeah, c'mon, Ron. We'll walk you off the Astronomy Tower and see how you come out looking." George said,

"Probably a right sight better than he normally does." It was Harry who spoke, he had thankfully woken up.

"Harry! How're you feeling?" Hermione asked.

Harry looked around the wing to see the conditions the other players were in, and then muttered.

"Brilliant."

"Gave us a right good scare, mate." Fred said as he sat down on a chair next to Harry's bed.

"What happened?" He asked.

"You fell off your broom." Ron replied.

"Really? I meant the match. Who won?" Harry said.

They all stood in Silence. Sharing Uncomfortable glances.

"No one blames you, Harry. The Dementors aren't meant to come on the grounds. Dumbledore was furious. After he saved you, he sent them straight off."  
Hermione broke the sad news.

"There's something else you should know, Harry. Your Nimbus - when it blew away? - it sort of landed in the Whomping Willow. And well -" Ron added while he tipped a bag of splintered wood and twisted twigs onto the bed.

Harry could just stare in silence. Soon, Madam Pomfrey came and shushed them all out but before she did, Naruto turned to Ginny and said.

"Bring Betty and Luna to the office, I have something very important to discuss."

She nodded and went away, Ron and Hermione who had overheard him asked.

"What was that about?" Ro asked.

"I am about to ask Ginny to marry me." Naruto replied in sarcastic monotone.

Hermione released a giggle while Ron just said.

"You could just say you can't tell me."

"I can tell you but you asked 'what was that about.' The answer to which would be it's about the next issue of The Owl Post, but you already know that so I don't know what to say, so I said the first thing that popped into my mind." Naruto replied.

"Smartass." Ron muttered as Hermione was laughing now.

"Thank you, alright, I know you know it's all in good fun, anyways gotta go, bye." Naruto said as he made a beeline to the office.

* * *

Betty, Ginny and Luna were waiting in the office when Naruto came bursting in, he instantly locked the door behind him and cast a silence charm in the room. They looked confused at that,

He started.

"What I am about to show you is something that has to stay among us, the reason I am showing this to you is because Betty came to me about this I have to include her and since you all are best friends, you should be included as well, to watch out for each other."

"What are you talking about?" Ginny asked, Luna sharing her expression but Betty understood.

"You kept digging?" She asked.

He didn't reply instead he pulled out a small box and then threw it back, before it landed, it turned into a board on a tripod and the board opened like doors to extend three times its size while also revealing a murder board on it, at the top was a note that read.

'Sirius Black.'

"What are you trying to find out about him!?" Ginny asked.

Naruto and Betty shared a look and then explained everything to the other two till the part where she told Naruto about her theory. They also examined the board and all the details on it.

"After that I tried to forget about this but couldn't so I asked Ogre -!" Naruto.

"Ogre?" Luna.

"My dealer." Naruto.

"You have a dealer?!" Betty.

"Yeah, I buy a lot of stuff not for kids, you don't wanna know. So, I got a guy who can get me anything in the world for the right price."

"I thought you meant a drug dealer." Betty said Relieved.

"What?! No!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Please continue." Luna said.

"I asked Ogre to get me everything he could get on Sirius Black. He got me paper clippings and even the victim accounts. I also dug a little deeper into it to finally land up on a theory and I need your help with the proof." Naruto said.

"What theory and what proof?" Betty asked.

"I believe what happened 12 years ago was that Harry's parents, James and Lily Potter were marked for death by 'Nameless' and to protect themselves and little Harry, they went into hiding."

"But his forces were massive,he could have found them anywhere on earth." Ginny said.

"Yes but not if they were under the protection of Fidelius Charm." He said.

"What is Fidelius Charm?" Betty asked.

"The Fidelius Charm is an extremely difficult, multifaceted and potent charm that can be used to conceal a secret inside an individual's soul; the witch or wizard who houses the secret is known as the Secret Keeper. A dwelling whose location has been protected by this spell is then invisible, intangible, unplottable and soundproof. This is an extremely old spell, one of the most ancient of all." Naruto answered.

"So, as long as the Secret-Keeper refused to speak, You-Know-Who could search the village where Lily and James Potter were staying for years and never find them," Luna completed.

"Yeah, exactly and from what we have gathered so far it is clear that they would have selected one of their closest friends to be the one that includes, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew and even Albus Dumbledore." Naruto said.

"So, Murderer on the loose, Professor Lupin, Headmaster and a dead guy are our best suspects?" Ginny said.

"Maybe not Headmaster but the other three are viable suspects." Naruto said.

"Even the dead guy?" Betty said.

"Especially the dead guy, I know from hard experience do not believe someone to be dead until you see it with your own eyes or see the dead body." Naruto said.

"Ok so what do you want us to find? From the things on the board it is clear that Black was the one that betrayed them." Ginny said.

"I have a compelling reason to believe he might not be." Naruto said.

"What compelling reason?" Luna asked.

"That you don't need to know, not right now. I am going to work on my own leads while I want you to run yours." Naruto said.

"Our leads?" Ginny questioned.

"Yeah, You three take Professor Lupin and Headmaster, while I'll try to look over other things that we might have missed," Naruto said,

"Three is us on two people while you handle the rest?" Luna asked.

"Yes, because one, You all need to stick together because we have a killer on the loose and second you all are younger than me and I don't want you to end up getting in trouble for doing something you shouldn't, and asking your teachers question isn't something that can get you in trouble." Naruto said.

Naruto was waiting for the Weasley twins outside the castle, they had something big planned today and since the twins had decided to head home for Christmas this year, the three were planning to do this as a mark of completion of their pranking tradition. He was thinking about their day's plan when the twins finally showed up.

"You guys are late!" Naruto said,

"Sorry, had to make a quick stop." Fred said.

"Do I want to know?" Naruto said as the three started to march towards Hogsmeade.

"Might as well, You will hear from Harry about it later anyway." George said.

So, They told the brave story about them stealing and the amazing utilisation of the Marauder's Map.

He had immediately linked the Marauder's Map to the Map, Sirius Black had mentioned another piece of the damn puzzle that might help him figure whatever had happened 12 years ago, but he put it in the back of his mind the thing they needed to do today was a little important, it would get the three in deep waters but would raise everyone's spirit.

The Three troublemakers reached their destination, Three Broomsticks but instead of walking in ,they went around the building and went to the back. Naruto looked around and ran towards the back wall and ran up it, he started to fall but with his good hand grabbed the part of roof sticking out and climbed on top of it.  
Fred with help from George jumped up and he was pulled on top by Naruto and they both finally pulled George up. Naruto took out four dynamite-like sticks and started to tie them together and work on them with his wand.

"Are you sure this will work?" George asked.

"I know it will work, we have worked on it for a week now." Fred said.

"I still have my doubts." George said.

"It is because you don't believe." Naruto said,

They were finally ready, now the four dynamites were tied to a big stick with a cone on top, with some characters written on them.

"Guys I want you both to do the honour." Naruto said as he held the rocket in his hands and passed matchsticks to them.

"You ready George?"

"Ready Fred."

They both lit the matchstick and then lit the 'rocket', as the wick burned they watched in anticipation and when it was about to disappear into the 'rocket' Naruto loosened his grip on the rocket and let it go.

It sailed with the power of five broomsticks taking off at the same time, it's power rocket the entire building of Three Broomsticks, making people come out and the trail of red following the rocket brought all people's attention to it. They all watched it as it sailed higher and higher until.

BOOM!

it exploded into an array of colours, and it did not stop for a while, it kept going on and on casting a colourful shadow over the village of Hogsmeade, Everyone was out on the streets as it kept going on and on, it finally stopped to make out words in the sky written in exploding Firecrackers.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

FROM

W & (a chibi form of Naruto's face holding a peace sign)

Another explosion occurred, it cleared the words and then in Golden and red explosions a great lion appeared as it roared and descended towards the people in Hogsmeade, once again roared and then disappeared.

For some time there was silence and then a single person started clapping and cheering he was joined by another couple, then a group soon the entire village of Hogsmeade was covered in cheering and applause.

Naruto could see some seniors making out throughout the village, he was however surprised to see Fudge, McGonagall, Flitwick, Hagrid and Rosmerta among the group smiling widely and cheering, Naruto looked near them to see Hermione and Ron applauding but what he found odd was that they were standing in a way as if someone was between them, He just smiled, Harry must have snuck up earlier and met with the other two, but his train of thought was interrupted by Fred muttering.

"Power of Belief."

"No, Power of Believer." Naruto answered as they smiled and quickly snuck back down, even though every person would know it was them, they wouldn't have sufficient evidence to pin it one them, until they were found on the roof of Three Broomsticks, that would be worth one month of detention.

Later the three stayed behind to get some joke supplies and to grab some butter beer before the twins left for the Christmas holidays.  
They might have been the last ones walking back; they were walking and talking or better plotting other things when they reached the castle entrance the entire school was waiting for them. As they walked closer and closer someone shouted.

"They are here!"

At first the trio thought they were in trouble but as soon as someone had said that all eyes turned to them and the crowd parted to give access to the castle and as the three walked, the others started to cheer and clap. Some shouts also made it through.

"That will show everyone, We aren't afraid."

"Most marvellous memory before Christmas."

"Never seen so many colours together!"

"How did you do it?"

"That's the way to wish Christmas to everyone."

The three were smiling like maniacs, they were confronted by Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick beside her with a happy look, even though she could not hide her smile, even through her smile she tried to sound stern.

"Did you have anything to do with that?" She asked.

"We don't know what you are talking about Professor," Fred said, imitating innocence.

"Yeah, We were just as surprised as you were, Naruto do you know anything about what she is talking about?" George.

"Boys, I haven't the foggiest." Naruto said with his signature foxy grin. Some girls swooned at his smile but he did not notice it.

"I thought so, So what are you waiting for? Go! Get ready for Dinner." She said with a bright smile.

The entire crowd cheered as they entered after the teachers.

Back in the Common room, Naruto had just heard Harry tell him about everything about the Map, The pathways, the entire mess with Malfoy and goons and finally the conversation they overheard.

"That's heavy man." Naruto pretended,

"So did you confirm this from Lupin?" He added,  
He knew the girls hadn't approached Lupin, They couldn't because he was out due to the full moon approaching, so he would come after the Holidays and if Harry was somehow able to push his father's old friend. The girls might be able to break him.

"Lupin? What does he have to do with anything?" Ron asked. Harry and Hermione looked equally confused.

"Well he was friends with both your father and Black."

"What? He was? He hasn't mentioned anything of the sorts, How do you know for sure?" Harry asked.

"Well while We were researching for an article on the pros and cons of Lupin, We came across a register that told us he was in the same year as the two. I thought you knew." Naruto said.

Internally He was feeling extremely sad about doing this to both Lupin and Harry but he needed a way to know everything about this rodent Pettigrew so that he could prove that black was indeed innocent and for that to happen.

He needed both Lupin and Harry to blab. He also needed to know what Pettigrew's animagus was to track him because if he knew he would be able to picture what he looked like and if he knew what he looked like and he was anywhere lurking in the castle, He would find the rodent and capture him to reveal the secrets.

"I am going to find him now and ask him about it." Harry said as he started to move. But Naruto knew that was a bad idea so he shouted,

"Stop" "Stop"

He was however surprised to hear Hermione say the same thing.

"What is up with the both of you and what is wrong with him going to Lupin now?"

Hermione and Naruto were looking at each other, but Naruto still answered his gaze not leaving Hermione.

"Nothing, it's just that he wasn't in perfect health so he left early for the holidays, right Hermione." He said glaring at her.

"Yes." Hermione said in a quiet tone.

"Why don't the two of you head up, I'll join you later. Me and Hermione have to talk about Ancient Rune Homework." Naruto said.

"Don't have to tell us twice." Ron said as he and Harry left, as soon as they were out of earshot both Naruto and Hermione said at the same time.

"You knew?!"

"Since when?!"

Once again at the same time.

"Since Snape's assignment." Hermione truthfully answered.

"Since Harry saw him drink the smoking potion, it was a wolfsbane potion. Tricky stuff couldn't miss the sight if you are near it."

"That's why you needed his blood! So that you could run it through some kind of test to confirm your assumptions?"

"No, I don't assume, I deduce and also not because I wanted to run some test, it was so that I could ease his conditions."

"Ease his condition? What are you talking about?"

"Alright, Since you are in this super messed up condition with your locket I know you can keep a secret, nobody but Dumbledore and my family knows about this.." Naruto then told her about what his true goal in life was, what he was researching, his briefcase and why he protected it so obsessively.

"Oh my god! You are doing more than I thought, but why? Why did you start?"

Naruto waited for some time, took a deep breath and reached into his robes.

"Nobody alive but Kurama knows why, but I consider you my best friend, more than the dynamic duo up there so I am going to tell you but you cannot blab this."

She furiously nodded her head, if he considered her as trustworthy as Kurama, She couldn't break his trust no matter what. So she watched him like a hawk as he pulled out a folded photo from his robes and handed it to her.

She took it with both hands and opened it to show an eight year old Naruto standing next to a woman she recognised as Irene Belserion, the scarlet witch.

"It started out for her."

Then he told her everything, How he loved her, how she loved him and what they wanted and how his happiest memory was when she had thought in her mind, I love you Naruto and his saddest memory was when he had to let her go.

"Kurama knows this, that's why she was so angry at me for a long time but as I was getting carried on Kurama's back I could have fought to stay awake, ya know? Like I fought to survive but I didn't, I gave up everything to chance.

"If I lived I would not live in sadness and would truly move on, never cry for her and I kept that promise. I don't cry. I believe in what I told Lavender but I also accepted in that moment that I was ready to leave everything, even Kurama to be with Irene." Naruto finished with a smile that radiated sadness.

Hermione was crying, In her mind there was only one thing. All year long she was worried about her Studies, worried about a boy who was being watched over by everyone in England, she had sure asked him how his body was doing but she had completely forgotten something that Shizune had said.

'we don't know just how much damage his mind has taken'

They did not know, She never asked about it and they just started with their lives without another glance at him. She had heard from Betty about the self moving carriages, How Naruto said they were being pulled by someone, He had told them he was marked for death by possibly the most powerful force to walk the face of earth and they all looked over it.

The things that he reported back to the world Governments were true horrors but not once did they ask him how he was dealing with that. Sure He had not one but two strong families looking after him now but they are his friends, He had spent more time with them then his family so they had to look after him.

Then it clicked into her, He was always looking after them, He constantly helped everyone study, stood up for them when nobody else dared like he did with Snape for her, cared for everyone in the dark times, Lavender with her rabbit, the magical creatures in his briefcase whom he spends at least a couple of hours with daily, watching over Harry.

Helping the Quidditch team when he didn't really need to and how he got dragged into writing a magazine and he started helping them instantly, and above all the latest event when he and the twins lit the entire village of Hogsmeade up to raise spirits in grim times and he did all that with a smile, never asked anyone for anything in return and what did She do?

She just took him for granted.

"Oh...I...am...so....sorry." Hermione tried to speak but she couldn't form coherent words due to continuously sobbing.

"Hey? I didn't mean to make you cry, come on. Calm down." Naruto said as he moved from his position and gave Hermione a comforting hug. She hugged him tight to calm herself down all she could think was.

'Great Consoling the listener on your own sad story, just how pathetic friends are we?'

Later Hermione went up without Naruto as he wanted to be alone for awhile but that couldn't happen due to the big commotion that was caused by the other three, He was about to go up but did not go up as soon as he heard.

"Crookshanks!"


	43. Book 3 Chapter 10: Love wins All? Sure

It was Christmas and the entire school was empty but filled with decorations. Naruto who had been in the lawn watching snowfall came back inside during lunchtime.

He was soon joined by the other three as they all went to the Great Hall together to find that the House tables had been moved against the walls again, and that a single table, set for twelve, stood in the middle of the room.

Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Sprout, and Flitwick were there, along with Filch, the caretaker, who had taken off his usual brown coat and was wearing a very old and rather moldy-looking tailcoat. There were only two other students, two extremely nervous-looking first years.

Merry Christmas!" said Dumbledore as four approached the table. "As there are so few of us, it seemed foolish to use the House tables... Sit down, sit down!"

They sat down side by side at the end of the table.

Naruto was stuffing his face as usual as Professor Trelawney, gliding toward them as though on wheels. She had put on a green sequined dress in honor of the occasion, making her look more than ever like a glittering, oversized dragonfly.

"Sybill, this is a pleasant surprise!" said Dumbledore, standing up.

"I have been crystal gazing, Headmaster," said Professor Trelawney in her mistiest, most faraway voice, "and to my astonishment, I saw myself abandoning my solitary luncheon and coming to join you. Who am I to refuse the promptings of fate? I at once hastened from my tower, and I do beg you to forgive my lateness -"

"Certainly, certainly," said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling.

"Let me draw you up a chair -"

And he did indeed draw a chair in midair with his wand, which revolved for a few seconds before falling with a thud between Professors Snape and McGonagall.

Professor Trelawney, however, did not sit down; her enormous eyes had been roving around the table, and she suddenly uttered a kind of soft scream.

"I dare not, Headmaster! If I join the table, we shall be thirteen! Nothing could be more unlucky! Never forget that when thirteen dine together, the first to rise will be the first to die!"

"We'll risk it, Sybill," said Professor McGonagall impatiently. "Do sit down, the turkey's getting stone cold."

Professor Trelawney hesitated, then lowered herself into the empty chair, eyes shut and mouth clenched tight, as though expecting a thunderbolt to hit the table. Professor McGonagall poked a large spoon into the nearest tureen.

"Tripe, Sybill?"

Professor Trelawney ignored her. Eyes open again, she looked around once more and said, "But where is dear Professor Lupin?"

"I'm afraid the poor fellow is ill again," said Dumbledore, indicating that everybody should start serving themselves. "Most unfortunate that it should happen on Christmas Day."

"But surely you already knew that, Sybill?" said Professor McGonagall, her eyebrows raised. Professor Trelawney gave Professor McGonagall a very cold look.

"Certainly I knew, Minerva," she said quietly. "But one does not parade the fact that one is AllKnowing. I frequently act as though I am not possessed of the Inner Eye, so as not to make others nervous."

"That explains a great deal," said Professor McGonagall tartly. Professor Trelawney's voice suddenly became a good deal less misty.

"If you must know, Minerva, I have seen that poor Professor Lupin will not be with us for very long. He seems aware, himself, that his time is short. He positively fled when I offered to crystal gaze for him -"

"Imagine that," said Professor McGonagall dryly.

"I doubt," said Dumbledore, in a cheerful but slightly raised voice, which put an end to Professor McGonagall and Professor Trelawney's conversation, "that Professor Lupin is in any immediate danger. Severus, you've made the potion for him again?"

"Yes, Headmaster," said Snape.

"Good," said Dumbledore. "Then he should be up and about in no time... Derek, have you had any of the chipolatas? They're excellent."

The first-year boy went furiously red on being addressed directly by Dumbledore, and took the platter of sausages with trembling hands.

Then Dumbledore turned to Naruto,

"So Naruto I loved this edition of The Owl post, How do you feel about it's success?" This was the first time the two have spoken in almost a year.

"I am extremely glad sir, but it's not me who deserves the credit, it is Betty, Ginny and Luna, They put the work in, I just turn in an 8 page story on some magical plant or animal and I mostly fill the pages with Photographs anyway," He said.

"But your Photographs are very amazing, it is well worth the wait to read your part as much as the others, which also reminds me, Pomona I didn't expect you to be so good at interviews." McGonagall said to him and Professor Sprout.

"I didn't, he just asked me questions and wrote the answers I gave him truthfully." Sprout replied.

"So, if you don't mind me asking Naruto, What is it you are going to write about next?" Dumbledore asked.

"Not at all Headmaster, I am going to write about the Dementors." He said as if it was another magical creature. The effects were instantaneous; all the teachers were surprised, while the students went into shock.

"What!? Why would you want to write about them and what would you write about them!" McGonagall exclaimed.

"Well they have been crawling the grounds for almost a year now, Students are scared of the dark as if we are a bunch of 6 year olds afraid of our own empty closets, I am not writing about them to scare people about them, people are already scared, I am going to write about them so that people know the true reason they should be afraid of them, also how these things came to be and how to protect yourself against them." Naruto said.

"Protect yourself? Is there even a way?" A first year old asked.

"Yes there is, it's called the Patronus charm, one of the most advanced spells out there," Naruto told him.

"Are you going to photograph them?" Dumbledore asked.

"No, Luna does amazing drawing, I'll ask her to draw me a rough sketch, I am not going anywhere near those creeps." Naruto said.

The rest of the dinner went without much else happening, Ron and Harry were the first ones to get up together.

"My boys, which one of you was the first?" Trelawney asked them.

"Don't know." Ron answered.

"But you must try, for the one that got up first needs to be protected!" She exclaimed.

"I am sure they will be fine, unless there is a mad axeman at the door, waiting to murder them they don't have anything to worry about." McGonagall said.

* * *

Later Naruto and Hermione also went to the dormitory, Naruto had a lot of work to do.

In the Gryffindor tower third year Dormitory, all the boys were asleep, even in sleep Naruto could feel someone lurking around but since he had told Sirius not to do anything stupid he chalked it off to his imagination, just how wrong he was.

Outside the Common room Sir Cadogan, dozing against his tree. When a shadow approached.

Naruto was woken up with a startle when he heard,

"Aaaahhhh!" It was Ron shouting, Naruto bolted up to see a man clutching a knife, all the other boys also get up and start screaming, Naruto jumps up, without his wand and kicks the figure, through the window but he was sure enough not to kick him hard enough to throw him out, just enough to disorient him and also to come between the man and Harry, the man seemed to understand the message and pulls out the wand Naruto gave him and jumps out the window.

'That was stupid, but I get it you were getting impatient.' Naruto thought.

Harry, who had been pointing his wand at Naruto's back, sweeps Ron's curtains aside. His bed empty, Harry panics and shouts.

"Ron! Ron!"

To everyone's great relief Ron pokes his head out from under his bed and mutters,

"Is he gone?"

Later, The entire Gryffindor House, in pajamas, standing before McGonagall, who is wearing a tartan robe and an expression of singular irritation.

"That's preposterous, Weasley. How could Sirius Black possibly have got through the portrait hole?" She asked.

"I don't know how he got in! I was a bit busy dodging his knife!" Ron exclaimed.

Just then, a curiously content Crookshanks wends his way through Ron's legs.

"And this bloody cat ate my rat!" Ron adds.

"That's a lie!" Hermione protests.

"It is not and you bloody well know it!" Ron shoots back.

"Silence!" McGonagall shouts as she turns to and everyone follows her eye to Sir Cadogan who, sensing the attention, perks up instantly.

"Sir Cadogan. Is it possible that you let a mysterious man enter Gryffindor Tower tonight?" She asks.

"Certainly, good lady! He had the password. Had the whole week's, in fact. On a little piece of paper." Sir Cadogan answers as if it is the most normal thing in the world, Naruto who was wearing a thin shirt, his abs, injuries and tattoo's visible to everyone some girls senior-junior classmates alike pointing and giggling at his back, saw as he face palmed and put a hand on Neville's shoulder who had been standing in front of him.

"Which abysmally foolish person wrote down the passwords and then proceeded to lose them!" McGonagall said.

Every eye shifts once more to Neville, who was looking extremely ashamed and Naruto who was saying,' it is going to be alright.' to him.

McGonagall sighs and says,

"Is it always going to be you, Longbottom?"

"I'm afraid so, ma'am." Neville answers.

Professor McGonagall then turn to the entire group,

"While we know Sirius Black is gone tonight, I think you can safely assume he will, at some future time, attempt to return. Let me be clear. You are not to movea about the castle alone. And you are not to write down the password! Understood!"

A collective nod of the head. McGonagall gives the ties of her robe a sharp tug, collects herself, and exits while saying.

"Very well then. Go to bed."

After classes of the day, Naruto headed back to the office to turn in his piece, when he walked in he saw Betty in the office working on the magazine.

"Hey! How's it coming along?" He asked as he spotted her.

"Fine, So, you told us that you needed us talk to Professor Lupin and Headmaster, the other two went to Lupin, He didn't say much but he did tell us that he has never been a secret keeper nor did he know who was Keeper for the Potters truthfully he believes Sirius to be one they must have chosen, I got Exactly same answer from Headmaster." Betty said.

"Which means in all honesty either Sirius or Peter could be the Keeper." Naruto said.

"But all accounts say Peter Pettigrew is dead." Betty said.

"And all said, Azkaban was Unbreakable, a man out there is proof that, that is not true." Naruto said.

"So, if Sirius is innocent how are we going to prove it?" Betty asked.

"Only way possible, we find both the parties involved and make them talk." Naruto said as he finally handed the papers to Betty.

"And how are we going to do that?"

"I have reason to believe that, Peter might have turned himself into an animal. An animal that can be described by either Padfoot, Prongs, Moony or Wormtail." Naruto said as he started to leave.

"Padfoot sounds like a good name for a Dog." Betty whispered to herself as she went back to her work. This stopped Naruto dead in his tracks.

"What did you say?" He asked.

"Just that Padfoot sounds like a good name for a Dog." She repeated a little startled.

"It does doesn't it? And do you think Moony is a good name for a Werewolf?" Naruto said.

"Rude but funny yeah, Why do you think one of them is a werewolf?" Betty asked.

"No, just saying." Naruto replied as he bid his goodbye to her and left.

"That leaves Wormtail and Prongs, What the hell does this mean." Naruto said as soon as he stepped out.

Naruto was returning to the common room when he noticed the other three talking about something in front of the portrait hole. He turned to them and asked,

"What's up?"

"We are just talking about going to Hagrid's, He is back from London, with news about Buckbeak." Hermione said.

"I'll join you,it's been a while since I met up with Hagrid anyway." Naruto said as he followed them to the black lake.

There Hagrid, wearing a GIGANTIC, HAIRY BROWN SUIT and perhaps the world's ugliest YELLOW AND ORANGE TIE, stands knee deep in the shallows of the Black Lake, skimming rocks as big as flagstones across the water's shiny gloss. As he turns, the group catches a brief sight of his eyes, red with tears, then he looks away. Naruto walks up to a big rock and sits on it. While the trio just stood there.

"How'd it go, Hagrid?" Hermione asked.

"Buckbeak liked London." Hagrid answered, skipping the question.

"I meant the hearing." Hermione pushed him.

"Oh. That. Well, I got up an' said my bit - You know, how Buckbeak was a good Hippogriff an' as long as yeh treated 'im with respect, he'd treat you the same. Then Lucius Malfoy got up an' said his bit - you know, how Buckbeak was a deadly dangerous beast that no teacher in their righ' mind would expose their students to..." Hagrid said.

Everyone dreaded the answer, but Hermione spoke their collective minds.

"And...?"

Hagrid slings another rock into water.

"You mustn't blame yourself, Hagrid." Ron said.

"Draco. It's him the Committee should punish. It's him they should send off to the forest, not Buckbeak." He added.

"Buckbeak's not going back to the forest..." Hagrid said.

"Where's he going, Hagrid?" Hermione asked dread in her voice, Naruto knew, he put his face in both his palm, he was so sick of prejudiced people in the world.

"He asked fer the worse, yeh see, Lucius Malfoy did. An' the Committee granted it. Buckbeak's bin sentenced ter death." Hagrid said finally losing it and started crying.

Naruto was woken one night when he heard the dormitory door open, He was surprised to see Harry leave, Naruto got up and put his palm on the tattoo on his abdomen, and he shimmered away.  
He finally used his invisibility spell to follow Harry around the castle looking for something, He felt a rat run by his feet but he didn't pay it much attention then he awkwardly watched Snape and Harry chat, then Lupin come to defend Harry and then followed the two into the DATDA class where he just calmly listened to their conversation.

He did not get anything new out of it so he was following Harry out of the class when he watched with interest as Harry turned back to Lupin and say,

"Professor, I don't think that map is always right." He said.

"Is that so? Why?" Lupin asked.

"Because it showed someone I know to be dead." Harry replied.

'Who?' Naruto thought.

"And who might that be?" Lupin asked with half-interest.

"Peter Pettigrew." Harry said, Naruto recoiled and thought,

'What? When did - the rat! He was the bloody rat, oh my god everything makes sense now!' Naruto said in his mind.

"That is not possible." Lupin started.

"Just telling you what I saw, good night Professor." Harry said as he left both Naruto and Lupin to their thoughts.

* * *

The very next day as soon as the classes were over Naruto and the other three departed they wanted to pay a visit to Hagrid before Buckbeak was killed and he couldn't stand there not doing everything to help Buckbeak so he chose to make a beeline for the office there he found Betty still working on the magazine so he said to her,

"I have figured it all out."

"Wait." Betty tried to say, but Naruto was too deep into it to see a cat on Betty's table and started speaking.

"12 years ago when James and Lily Potter were marked for death by you know who they went into hiding under the Fidelius charm, now they had to choose a secret keeper. So, who do they choose, the man that everybody knows is James' best friend or someone that no one would expect,"

"Someone that no one would look twice for and I believe no, I know that someone was Peter Pettigrew at the very last moment Sirius might have convinced James and Lily Potter to choose Peter over him so that when you know who came for Sirius he would get nothing out of it and as soon as Sirius was attacked they would know and they would go further into hiding but I believe that Peter Pettigrew betrayed the Potters and betrayed the resistance and he ratted out the Potters and when he did so he was confronted by Sirius in the street that day and to Escape he cast a curse which killed those 12 muggles and amidst the chaos the dirty bastard changed into a rat cut off his own damn fingers and escaped!"

He finished and then noticed the cat on the table, even the cat looked shocked but not as much as Naruto did when he saw the cat, He muttered.

"Oh shit."

The cat jumped from the table and in mid air transformed into none other than Professor McGonagall.

"First explain why you are looking into this and then how you know so much."

Naruto gave Betty a look and said,

"It was my idea, I wanted to look into Sirius Black and so I got this.." Naruto said as he drew the same box as before and threw it back to show His Sirius Black murder board.

"That's a lie. I was the one -!" Betty tried to say but Naruto instantly gave her a 'shut up' look.

"I don't wanna know how you got all this now but I want you to tell me, why and how do you think Peter changed into a rat." McGonagall said,

"Betty get out." Naruto said.

"But I am just as much a part of it as you are!" Betty said.

"No you aren't, I have broken more school rules in this research than any, and if you are my accomplice in this then you will get expelled so get out." Naruto told her.

McGonagall would be proud of Naruto for looking after others if she wasn't so angry at him for not telling anyone about this.

Betty left but not before giving Naruto a look.

"Now tell me everything."

"I believe when Professor Dumbledore was selected Headmaster he admitted the first Werewolf student in the school, the now Professor Lupin, he made quick friends with three other boys in his year, namely James Potter, Sirius Black And Peter Pettigrew.

They called themselves the Marauders and each other, Moony,Prongs, Padfoot And Wormtail. Why nobody but they knew."

"Until now, I believe Moony tried to hide his reality from his other friends because he was rightfully aware that they might abandon him if they knew the truth but soon like Me or Like Hermione.

They figured out, Moony was a Werewolf, but they didn't abandon him they could differentiate between the disease and the diseased instead on the contrary they tried to help their friend and at some point found the best way to do it, they all became unregistered Animagus, Prongs the stag, Padfoot the dog and Wormtail the rat."

"They did this so that they could help their friend, fight him down if he was dangerous to others and keep the lonely man accompanied when he was lonely, and the strongest bond of friendship was formed, strongest between Prongs and Padfoot, later all four of them joined the resistance against You-know-who, but they were betrayed by one of their own, which everyone believed to be Padfoot but I think differently, I think that it was Wormtail. He framed Padfoot and escaped turning into a rat." Naruto finished.

At the end McGongall being shocked was an understatement.

"That is an absurd theory!"

"I don't think so I know you don't think so either, and I have proof as well, Starting with the whole Scabbers debacle,"

"What does this have to do with Ron's rat."

"Crookshanks started attacking Scabbers from the moment he laid eyes on him, the rat had been alive for 12 years, curiously long life for a garden rat don't you think."

"Might be, But a cat attacking someone is not uncommon, might be Crookshanks is just a wild cat."

"I don't think so ma'am and I believe them to be amazing judges of characters to be honest and that's not all, the night Black attacked the tower, he could have easily killed Harry or Ron or anyone else, he didn't.

He brought a knife to kill, even though everyone saw that he had a wand, which he could have used at any given time but he didn't, he came to attack Ron's rat."

"If you are right, then why stay with a wizard family? Why not escape?"

"Because he's a sidekick, he always follows the one he thinks to be the toughest kid on the ground, at first in the school, it was James and Sirius but then You-know-who came along, the toughest kid he had ever seen, there was no way he wouldn't side with him."

"So he did but then based on the information he provided You-know-who was shattered into pieces, now the ones he had followed would hate him for getting their dear master killed so he couldn't go to them and if he showed that he was alive,"

"He would be hunted by all, so he chose to live as a rat over running away with whatever dignity he had left but still he like everyone else knew You-know-who was not dead, so he chose to live with a wizard family, in case the news about him being back came along, the bastard would go back crawling to the big man."

"This - this makes sense but how can you be so sure -!" McGonagall was muttering.

"So sure that Scabbers is Wormtail in short Pettigrew?"

She nodded.

"When I noticed the biggest news around the time he escaped." Naruto said as he went back to the board and pulled out a newspaper clipping.

It was a photograph of Ron and his family that had appeared in the Daily Prophet the previous summer, and there, on Ron's shoulder, was Scabbers.

"What about this?" She asked.

"Look at the paws -" Naruto said.

"My God!" said McGonagall softly, staring from Naruto to the picture in the paper and back again.

"His front paw -!"

"If I didn't have so much hate in me for the bastard, I would be impressed."

"So why aren't you out there looking for him?" McGonagall said.

"He is a small rat in the Forest, I have a way to track him but I need another wizard's help to cast the spell, it's not dangerous so I was here to ask Betty for help." He said.

"I will help you." McGonagall said.

"You will?! You are not expelling me?"

"Expelling you!? You might have just saved an innocent man's life! I am going to help you. Now let's go it might already be dark outside."

Naruto immediately went into action, out of his bag took out a mason jar, a piece of parchment and some other things, He quickly wrote Peter Pettigrew in the middle of parchment paper and wrote Rat or Human below it.

Then he placed the mason jar on top of the written words, he then started to put things in the mason jar while saying something in Japanese, he finally pulled out a match box and said.

"I want you to place your hand directly above the jar covering it up as soon as I drop the matchstick, and then as soon as I put my hand above yours,we will both be teleported to where he will be, it works only once on one person, so this will be our only chance." Naruto said as he saw her nod in amazement.

He did as he had said, he lit the matchstick up and dropped it into the jar, she instantly covered the jar with her hand and Naruto started chanting in Japanese and then placed his hand on her hands, for a while nothing happened they just stood there both thinking it has failed but then the mason jar started to rattle and then they were both sucked into the jar.

They both appeared near Hagrid's McGonagall carrying the mason jar in her hand but they were by no means alone, there stood Betty, Ginny and Luna along with Hagrid. All their eyes glued on the large white lights coming from the small pond by the whomping Willow.

"What are you -?" McGonagall wanted to ask the three girls but couldn't because as soon as they appeared, Naruto shouted.

"We don't have the time! Kitsune Vision!"

They all just stood still and watched as Naruto's eye turned red snake like eyes and he looked around, he suddenly smiled and said.

"I see you, you little bitch!"

He did a throwing motion with his hand and a spark flew somewhere in the grass, but suddenly out of the grass a fully grown ugly man was thrown, he rolled directly towards Hagrid's feet.

"Hagrid grab him!" McGonagall shouted.

And before the man could move, Hagrid scooped him in his arms and held him tight, as soon as Hagrid saw who it was he was awestruck.

"It can't be -!" Hagrid said.

"Incarcerous" McGonagall said as he trapped the man in thick chains.

"NO!" It was Peter Pettigrew.

"I cannot believe - we were right! He is alive." Ginny said.

"Let me go!" Pettigrew tried to say but his head was grabbed by Naruto,

"Kitsune Discharge!"

Naruto muttered as Pettigrew was covered in a flash of yellow and when it disappeared he was knocked out and clear signs of Electrocution on his both.

"What did you?" Luna started.

"Don't worry he's not dead, for once in his life, he has some use alive." Naruto said.

They all looked at him and wondered just how angry he was that he would not hesitate to kill a man.

"We will take him to the Headmaster and I will tell him the entire truth, he will save Sirius but you four should head back to the castle." McGonagall said as she and Hagrid started to move.

"Yeah -" Naruto trailed off as his breath turned to fog.

They all looked above to see Dementors flying towards them.

"They must have smelled his fear, just how pathetic is he?" Luna said monotonously.

The dementors were only a few feet away and Hagrid was feeling the effects.

"You all go I'll hold -!" McGonagall was about to say, but Naruto needed to release this wrath on something, and he also needed to feel good so he thought of his happiest memory.

* * *

Kurama was on a stool, Irene and Naruto were standing in front of her in Kimonos, they were reliving the memory from Naruto's favourite New Years, But right now Naruto looked like he was in his mid 20's behind them was the night sky, soon to be filled with light of fireworks.

"This is stupid."

"We know," they said together.

"Alright if you know then I'll just skip to the important part and shown in the movies. Do you Naruto U namikaze take Irene Belserion as your wife?"

"I do." Naruto said with a bright smile.

"Do you Irene Belserion take Naruto as your husband."

"I do, I do a million times."

And then they kissed just as the sky was filled with colours.

* * *

"Expecto Patronum!"

It all happened in slow motion for them, a corporeal Tiger suddenly formed behind them, as Naruto himself stood 5' 6" and the Tiger's size which was ⅔ of him in height and at least 6' in length stalked from behind them all and stood next to Naruto.

The Dementors stopped in their tracks. But it was far from over for them, the tiger leaped at the nearest Dementors and exploded with a mighty roar.

The entire area was filled with white, 2 times bigger than the one that was cast by the pond. It lasted for some time and then it cleared. To show no Dementors present in the area whatsoever.

Naruto was still standing there with his wand held high.

"That was -!" Betty tried but couldn't find the appropriate term for the feeling.

"I have never felt so much love." Luna said as she looked at Naruto's back.

Naruto turned to her gave her a kind but sad smile and said,

"Neither did I."

But their troubles were far from over, when they heard a low howl from behind them, they looked around to see a werewolf.

"Of course, my luck would bring Dementors and Werewolf in the same 5 minutes." Naruto said.

McGonagall quickly went into action and shot a spell at the Werewolf, it hit the wolf and knocked it out.

"Oh that had to hurt, poor Professor Lupin." Naruto said.

"Lupin?" "What?" "Are you kidding." Were being thrown at him but he didn't pay them much attention as he walked up to him.

"What are you doing Naruto!" McGonagall shot.

"Well if it works, helping the poor man and if it doesn't ,giving him a placebo." Naruto said as he pulled a small box from his pocket and pulled a syringe out of his pocket.

It contained a red liquid and it was extremely hot, clearly visible from the way Naruto held it and the steam covering it.

"This might burn a bit, but won't hurt you Professor believe me."

He then ejected the liquid into Lupin, and instantly went back. Lupin's eyes shot open and he gave a great howl and then it started to turn into a low scream and then groan of pain.

"Aaaaah! What is happening to me." Lupin said as he lost consciousness.

Naruto ran back to the now naked man and covered him in his robes, He also took out the same eye as he had used on Fluffy two years ago and the Kimoyo Beads.

The eye flew above the man and scanned him and landed back on Naruto's hand and then a man's projection with blue veins was projected from his Kimoyo Beads, He released a sigh as he checked the projection.

"It worked without a problem.... HOLY SHIT IT WORKED! YES I AM A BLOODY GENIUS! HAHAHAHAH!" Naruto lost it for a few seconds.

"Naruto what did you do?" McGonagall asked as she came close to the pair.

"I just shut down Professor Lupin's magic system and turned it back on, killing the power that filled his Werewolf transformation long enough for him to turn back to Human without him losing use of magic!"

Naruto said with a massive shit eating grin on his face, right now only McGonagall could understand just how advanced stuff Naruto had just pulled, or to better say it discovered.

"How?" She knew he wouldn't answer that, it was the discovery of the century anyone would die protecting it. So she wasn't surprised when her answer was,

"With extreme difficulty." He did not drop the smile

"Let's just go." McGonagall muttered softly, Hagrid picked up Pettigrew, while Lupin was getting princess carried by Naruto, Lupin was rolled in Naruto's robes like a burrito, they were walking through the courtyard in silence when they saw a Hippogriff land there, on it Harry, Hermione and Sirius Black.

The three looked at the small group and all there blood went cold.

"They didn't have anything to do... I cursed them." Sirius said trying to protect the other two.

"Stop lying.." McGonagall.

"No take me but they didn't have anything to do with..." Sirius.

"They did and we will take you to the Headmasters office," McGonagall.

"He hasn't done anything wrong.. it was Scabbers." Hermione said,

"We know." Naruto said with a smile on his face.

"What?" Sirius said and then he noticed everything, Lupin in Naruto's arms and Pettigrew in Hagrid's big arms.

"How did you..?" Harry started to speak but was interrupted when Naruto said.

"Not now, later, Hermione aren't you running late." Naruto said, his eyes glancing the necklace on her neck and as McGonagall noticed it she shouted,

"Yes! Go or very bad things will happen, Leave Sirius to us, we know he is innocent! Go!" McGonagall barked the order.

"But what about Buckbeak?" Harry said.

"Don't worry about her, Kurama" She appeared on Naruto's shoulder,

Kurama jumped on Buckbeak and they both caught fire, They all heard Kurama's parting words and looked at Naruto.

"Fresh meat coming through!"

"What? She is the den mother, those idiots respect and love her more than they do me. So she's just having fun, she won't do anything to him,"

"Ok." Hagrid said, between sobs of seeing Buckbeak alive.

"Not yet anyway."

"What?" Hagrid.

"What?" Naruto.

CHIME!

"Harry come on we have to go!" Hermione.

"I will see you later, Sirius." Harry.

"Yes, now go!" Sirius said.

Sirius soon joined the group and all of them travelled to the Headmaster's office.

As soon as they entered they spotted Minister of Magic along with a few other ministry officials talking to Dumbledore and as soon as they all turned to the group they had absolute looks of shock, even Dumbledore.

"Minerva?" Dumbledore started.

"I am going to explain everything but before that don't you three girls have a story to write to scoop the entire world." She said to Betty, Luna and Ginny. They turned to Naruto and he said.

"I don't know why you are looking at me like that? I am staying here to tell the amazing story you three unearthed and I don't want any favours so keep my name out of it." Naruto said with a pleased smile.

The girls left, and McGonagall told everything to the people present. She left the fact of Lupin being a werewolf and Sirius being an animagus out but any other detail was not spared, at the end the ministry employees took Pettigrew away, Hagrid took Lupin to Hospital Wing and Minister was standing in front of Sirius with his hat in his hand.

"I cannot apologise enough for the grief we caused you but you have to understand we only went with the evidence provided to us...."

"I don't care. Just clear my name, post The Owl posts story on Daily Prophets front page and make sure that traitor is punished for everything he had done." Sirius said.

"Of course, Dumbledore send the copy of The Owl Post to my office as soon as it is published, you're innocence will be on the front pages tomorrow, ." Fudge said as he shook Sirius's hand and then left, he didn't show it but all this mess was a PR nightmare for him.

Only people left in the office were Naruto, McGonagall, Sirius and Dumbledore.

"Sirius, even I would like to apologise..." Dumbledore started.

"You shouldn't, you did what was the right thing to do but now I just want to go home and if Harry agrees, take him with me."

"About that you cannot do that..."

"Why!?"

Naruto who was thinking on the topic from the moment they had entered also realised why Sirius couldn't. McGonagall knowing a difficult conversation was coming said,

"Naruto I think we should..."

But Naruto wasn't listening as he told Black the answer.

"Because of blood, Isn't it Headmaster." He said.

"What blood? I am his Godfather, I shared stronger bond with James than of blood." Sirius interjected.

"Yes, but It isn't about Mr. Potter's blood.." Naruto was saying.

"It's about Lily's." Dumbledore completed.

"What are you two talking about?" McGonagall asked.

"It's ancient magic, a wizard or witch sacrifices their life for love to turn their life into pure and most potent magic, Lily used it to cast a protection on Harry that is what killed Voldermort that night, and as long as Harry is under the protection of someone carrying Lily's blood, Voldemort cannot harm him. That's why he needs to stay with his aunt." Dumbledore said.

"Irene used her love for me to channel her life into most destructive magical attack, that caused the recent cyclones that hit Asia, while I just used a small form of it to cast the Patronus." Naruto explained more to Dumbledore as to why he knew this.

"You are free man now Sirius and you can visit Harry, I think for now that is more than enough." McGonagall told Sirius as she put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I believe you are right." Sirius said,

Just then the door of the office was swung open and Harry and Hermione walked in, Harry spotted Sirius and engulfed him into a hug. Sirius copies the motion.

Hermione came and stood next to Naruto.

"Betty, Ginny and Luna were going crazy down there, did they get something big?" She asked.

"Yeah a chance to write international news." Naruto told her.

"Anyway I think Sirius deserves a break, food and a bath, Minerva and Harry will you help you with all of that." Dumbledore said.

"Yes, let's go." Harry said as the three left.

"Hermione, I will join you later, I have to explain to him some of the plot holes he no doubt noticed." Naruto said with a smile.

She nodded and started to leave but just at the door, she stopped and turned back and took out her necklace and gave it to him.

"You were right it messes with people." She said.

"It's alright, if it's any consolation, you are the first person I have known not to go crazy from using this." He said as he pocketed it and she smiled and left.

"I believe we both have questions, why don't we go alternatively." Dumbledore suggested.

"Sure. You go first."

"If I know my lunar charts correctly, Lupin should be a werewolf right now. What happened?"

"I figured out a way to change them back to human after they have turned, it requires easily attainable materials with only exception of the person's blood, which I got from an accident in one of our DATDA classes.

It's a nasty brew but I was successfully able to make it and have been carrying it around for some time in case I ever ran into him."

"Brilliant!"

"Speaking of my research, Now that you know that I knew you were spying on me for my Baa I have to ask did you only help me because of her?"

"In the beginning, yes. But then you have proved yourself to be better than any student I have seen so I helped you on my one accord."

"Thanks."

"I heard from Lupin about The Bird, The Beast and The Brave, how are you dealing with that?"

"With seeing the person that kills me in the future, surprisingly peachy for some reason."

"Are you sure she wants to kill you?"

"I am the last remaining connection between the two people that delayed her arrival and also the reason two of her children died, I have a strong feeling that she is."

"I thought so."

"Professor my life has been one nasty roller coaster ride this year, I believe you didn't push me because of that reason but I want you to know, me and my girl Kurama take my mind very seriously and I have made a big promise to my Baa so if anything that you know and can even remotely help me prepare for what's coming my way, I don't want you to hide it from me, I may not be a sere but I know and trust my gut and something tells me, nothing is going to get easier anytime soon."

"I agree and promise you to do so, and I believe you can use some rest as well,"

Naruto was sitting in Lupin's office, Sirius with his handsome face returning with each passing day beside him, the two had just told Lupin about the conversation that they had on Quidditch day.

"You both are.." Lupin was muttering.

"Handsome." Sirius.

"Smart." Naruto

"Undeniable." Sirius

"Proud Troublemakers." Naruto.

"Morons." Lupin said.

"Sure yeah that too." Naruto said with a grin. Which was matched by Sirius.

"You both could have been in serious trouble for this." Lupin.

"Well trouble loves us so much what can we do." Sirius said.

"So? What are you going to do now that you have resigned and you are free." Naruto asked.

"Go back to business." Sirius answered.

"We believe the danger is not over if not Voldemort then The three B's, we are thinking of restarting the order." Lupin said.

"The Order?" Naruto asked.

"The Resistance, That fought Voldemort when he first rose to power, we used to call ourselves, The Order of the Phoenix." Sirius said.

"I like the sound of that." Naruto said with a smirk.

"And you are welcome to join, I believe you have proven yourself to more than worthy enough." Lupin said as Sirius nodded.

"I might but right now I have to go home and according to the map the two of you need to have a serious conversation." Naruto said as he was peaking at the map on Lupin's table, he instantly stood up and opened the gate, before Harry could.

"Goodbye guys, see you around." Naruto said he left.

This year was a lot different than the past two years that he was in this school, this year he had gained so much and lost so much, he learned so much and perfected so much, this year was extremely generous on not only him but also on people around him, Betty, Ginny and Luna were now known throughout the wizarding world for their achievement in uncovering the truth, Harry had gotten two father figures and a firebolt from Sirius.

Hermione learned the most important lesson a person can learn the price of power.

The years exam results came out and Naruto had topped the exams followed by Hermione and to his surprise Delphini has also tied with Hermione for scores, Gryffindor had won the house cup once more and the world has changed a lot more.

They were soon on the train back to London, Naruto in the same compartment as the other three, Naruto was holding all three Owl Posts in his hands to show his family.

They were all talking about stuff when a giant black owl started flying next to their window, Naruto quickly pulled the window open and helped the owl in.

Naruto read the words on it and passed it Harry,

"It's for you." He said as he fetched some seed out of his bag to give to the owl and as soon as it spotted the seeds it started munching on them, while Harry read the letter aloud on Hermione request.

* * *

_Dear Harry,_

_I hope this letter reaches you before you reach your aunt and uncle._

_I wanted to send this letter for all the things that I forgot to mention, first I am sorry for startling you before the beginning of school, I just wanted a glimpse of you before I started my journey north._

_I also wanted to tell you that Remus and I have moved into my old home, the location of which I will not disclose to you right now, in case you get the funny idea to run away from your aunt and uncle, I wouldn't blame you but I don't want that._

_I hope you liked my gift and speaking of gifts the owl is for your friend Ron and tell Naruto I will compensate for the wand he gave me as soon as I see him next, also tell Hermione that she has one amazing cat._

_I am enclosing something else for you, which I think will make your next year at Hogwarts more enjoyable._

_If ever you need me, send word._

_Your owl will find me._

_I'll write again soon._

_Sirius_

* * *

Harry instantly took out the other piece of parchment out and read it aloud as well.

_I, Sirius Black, Harry Potter's godfather, hereby give him permission to visit Hogsmeade on weekends._

"That'll be good enough for Dumbledore!" said Harry happily. He looked back at Sirius's letter. "Hang on, there's a PS."

_You can send all future permission forms to me._

All of them crossed the barrier of 9 ¾ platform and Naruto spotted his mother and his sister, Mito standing on the station next to Mr and Mrs. Weasley.

He also spotted Harry's uncle a good distance away eyeing his mother and Mrs. Weasley, as soon as they were spotted Mrs. Weasley and his mother greeted the four and they shared greeting and were starting to separate, when Naruto turned to Harry.

"Harry wasn't Sirius's wanted poster also shown to muggles?" He asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"Just thinking how your uncle would react to your loving Godfather who was wanted for murder checking up on you from time to time, you know, might make him a little... what's the word."

"Jumpy." George helped.

"That's the ticket!" Naruto said, everybody just laughed at that,

"That's a brilliant idea. See you next year guys." Harry said.

They bid their goodbyes and then Naruto started leaving with Mito and Kushina, he was showing them how his work in the magazines and also told Mito about the potion,

"That's amazing! It finally worked!" She said.

"Yeah and as soon as we get home, I am filling for a patent, need to get the Serum out to help the people who don't want to change, which also reminds me I have a letter to write" He said as he and his family disappeared into the crowd.

Unknown to him he was being watched by Betty and Hermione, who were leaving with Mr.& Mrs. Granger this year.

"Hey Hermione." Betty said.

"Yeah?"

"How does one approach a boy to ask him out."

* * *

A truck carrying the now trapped Pettigrew and three of his prisoners was running towards London, inside it Pettigrew was crying when suddenly the truck shook and stopped.

"What is going on?!" Guard 1 asked.

"I don't know." Guard 2 said.

"They are coming for me!" Wormtail cried in horror.

"Who is?" Guard 3

The truck suddenly started to constrict as if a snake was coiling it.

SLASH!

Suddenly three giant bird claws dug into the magically reinforced gates and ripped the gates open like paper. Pettigrew following his nature just closed his eyes and ducked under the seat, the three guards must have fired some spell but they just died the next moment without another word.

Wormtail heard wings flap and then stop a cold feminine voice spoke from above him.

"I knew I could use the Gaze, your pathetic self wouldn't dare open his eyes at first sign of danger."

Wormtail was harshly kicked in his ribs.

"Open your eyes, you worm."

The voice ordered and Wormtail finally looked up to see a figure dressed in black skin tight clothes with a green peacock feather coat over her body, she was wearing high heels and white hair reached her knees.

Her face however was covered in a brilliant silver masquerade mask that framed her brilliant pale face and gave her an owl-like eyes, her bright red lipstick completing her look.

"My Highness -"

"You don't know who I am and still you started begging me instantly? You really are worthless, I should kill you."

"No, please show mercy."

"I am not going to kill you ,you vermin, if wanted to, I would have killed you by now, I need you for something."

"Anything Highness."

"I want you to turn into a rat and go to Albania, I want you to find Lord Voldemort and bring him to me in the Riddle mansion. Fail to do so and I will find you and give you a death, in front of which a Dementor's kiss will be a swift end. You understand?"

"Yes, Of course my lady, right away!"

With that Wormtail turned into a rat and ran out of the truck and straight into the forest but not without quivering in front of the sight of the 20 ft long snake that stood there.

The woman climbed out of the truck, the three bodies floating behind her. She said something in ParselTongue, the snake and the three bodies disappeared.

The woman was about to leave but a letter in the form of a paper plane flew towards her and stopped in front of her face.

It floated and unfolded in front of her face and she read it's contents.

* * *

_Dear Delphini,_

_I know I haven't been the best of friends with you this year but it took me an entire year to decide If me asking Draco your address would get you in trouble or what not, so I didn't ask him and waited to reach the ministry of magic to send you this, but I am sorry about telling the world that the bird had arrived,_

_I needed to so that they would take me seriously about the fact of the beast and the entire year I kept your thoughts at bay with the thought that it's good that you completed the school from home, got extra practice in magic because the trials you face are much grim than being in school for a year, but I do hope to see you next year or during the World Cup._

_I also wanted you to know that I didn't tell anyone that you were The Bird and I never will but I do hope you write back to me to tell me you are ok, I miss you girl, I told you we will be friends no matter what, so do write back if possible and all the best with whatever you decide,_

_With love,_

_The one and only_

_Naruto_

* * *

The woman sniffed and muttered,

"My only regret in life would be keeping this from you Naruto but do not worry no harm will come to you, a lot has to be done."

Delphini disappeared in black smoke.


	44. Book 4 Chapter 1: An Invitation and the Riddle House

Over the period of summer Naruto had a growth spurt, now 5'11" with a body of spartan warrior and injuries, from experiments, his magical creatures and above all training to match them.

He had a diagonal slash mark on his abdomen, gift from his torture; his chest had claw marks courtesy of Bear, his right hand had burn and scar marks all over but it was finally out of the bandages and completely useful again.

He had another tattoo to show his progression in Alchemy, now a new full moon tattoo on his left shoulder opposite to his sun tattoo on his right.

His spiral tattoo was still around his bellybutton, his back had an unusual stab mark, like an arrow had tried to go through but failed, it was just above his left scapula.

Naruto was reading a book in his room, a lot of his other books littered around the room, pages sticking out from some of them, he had spent most of his holidays in this room or the grounds of the compound.

He was in constant contact with all his friends, him and Hermione talked daily on the phone.

He was also quite surprised to get a lot of letters from Ginny and Betty this year, Ginny had started to confide in him about some of her problems ever since they had started working on The Owl Post together.

He was in deep thought about random stuff, hardly paying any attention to the book on his desk when he heard a knock on his door, he told them to enter.

Kushina walked in, she was tying her hair in a bun as she entered the room, she was dressed in an extravagant blue and white Kimono.

"Are you sure you don't want to go?" She asked.

She was talking about an event held in respect of Japan's Quidditch Team, Since they had qualified in the world cup about to take place in England and before their main matches began and the teams divulged back into training, the ministry had decided to throw an event in the team's honour.

His mother, the minister of magic, Mito as Uzumaki Family's representative and obviously Erza, the captain of the Japanese team were all going.

"Yes Ma, I'll make myself something so don't worry about me." Naruto said as he closed his book.

"Your food is not what I am worried about, it's just that, last year you spent most of your time in Japan going through physical therapy and this year you only mingle with us, you have not went out to meet the others, I am worried -!" Kushina dragged.

"Worried that I didn't actually want to be part of the family?" Naruto completed.

Kushina recoiled and sat down on his bedside, then she just muttered.

"Yeah -"

"Well, you were right." Naruto said.

"What?" She said back in shock.

"I never wanted to be part of The Uzumaki Family or The People of The Forest, I just wanted to have you, Baa, Mi-nee, Er-nee and Shizune-nee in my life and I always dreamed that one day, somehow that will happen and it did. So, I always had a way to fit you all in my life, I never accounted that I'd have to accommodate your life into mine." Naruto truthfully answered.

Kushina thought about it and then gave a sad smile, she accepted the answer, she always knew there was something, the other shoe to say.

"I guess I was hoping for too much, when I thought you would just start your life with us, anyways I came because you have some mail." Kushina said as she caressed his face.

"Yeah." Naruto said as he smiled and they both moved out of his room and to the lounge, sitting there in extravagant dresses were his sisters.

"You are really not going?" Mito asked.

"Yeah, sorry Er-nee-chan." Naruto said,

"I don't get it, why don't you want to come?" Erza said.

Kushina and Naruto shared a look but then Naruto said,

"I am not much for glamour but don't worry I am going to attend every match you guys are playing." He said with a laugh.

"You are?" All three said at the same time,

"I got a friend of mine to use his connections in the ministry to reserve me a ticket for every match you guys might play in, it is costing a lot so please win." He said with a smile.

"You won't be having any money problems after the booming success of 'Fuse Serum'." Mito said with a smirk.

She was referring to the serum that Naruto had made, which he used on Lupin, after Naruto got the patent, he launched the serum and within days the sale was off the charts, all you had to do was buy the serum and add a bit of your blood in it and you won't be able to use magic for the next 12 hours without any side effects on long term use, so at the start of cycles one can just start administering it and not turn into a werewolf and so much more. He had even gotten a very graphic letter from a female werewolf much to vexation of his mother and sisters.

"It's not all about the money, it's more about scheduling. I won't have jack to do all summer without that World Cup to follow." Naruto said as he sat down next to Mito.

"You all look amazing by the way." He added.

"Thank you." Kushina said with a smile.

"I know right." Mito said,

"Nice try." Erza said as she also sat down.

A house elf dressed in butler's uniform came into the room and handed Naruto a bunch of mail. Naruto muttered a quick thanks to the elf and started to go through them. He quickly went through the letters and as he read the front page of the paper he muttered.

"This is not good."

"What is it?" Erza asked.

"Wormtail escaped." Naruto said,

"Wormtail? Isn't he the guy that those girls from your school proved to be alive." Erza said. As she was having a little makeup done by Kushina.

"And much more, he was broken out during transport, if that is the case there is a big chance..." Naruto was saying.

"Big chance of what?" Kushina asked.

"Big chance that Lord Voldemort's followers are finally ready to make their move." Naruto said.

Kushina instantly stopped helping Erza and moved to talk to him.

"What? How do you know?" She asked more as the Minister of Magic in Japan then as a mother.

"Because he was broken out, which means he was helped by an accomplice and since he was a lap dog of Voldemort and now that he is out to the world, he must have returned to him, to Voldemort. There is definitely something fishy going out there."

Naruto told her, then he spotted a black letter with a golden Phoenix on it.

Mito was also eyeing the letter, He gave her a look and opened it.

* * *

_Naruto,_

_As you must have read in the paper Wormtail escaped, I am out here looking for him but till now I haven't found a single lead on his whereabouts._

_The evidence on the scene points to the fact that a large creature might have collided around the vehicle carrying him to stop it, the men are missing and the Gate has large claw marks._

_Remus is checking out the creature angle but still no leads there as well, we heard from some of the ministry informants that you might be present for most of the World Cup, we were hoping you would keep an eye out for Wormtail there, please send the reply to: 12 Grimmauld place, Islington, London._

_Padfoot._

* * *

The others gave him a 'What the hell' look and to which he just said,

"Carrying on -" to ignore answering them.

He then opened the next letter, it was a letter from Harry which he chose to open later and then there was another letter.

It had a black Cauldron mark on it which was boiling and black bubbles leaking out of it, once it completed that it starts again, he opened it.

* * *

_Mr. Naruto U. Namikaze;_

_This is to inform you that you have been selected to participate in the WIZARDING SCHOOLS POTIONS CHAMPIONSHIP, under the approval of International Potioneers committee._

_After your acceptance of participation letter is received a committee member will contact you._

_Please send a reply by 1st of July._   
_Misha Oral_   
_Chairwoman I.P.C._

* * *

"I got in -!" Naruto muttered.

"What?" Mito asked.

"I got in to participate in Wizarding Schools potion championship -" Naruto said still in disbelief.

"You cleared it! You cleared the entrance exam?!" Erza asked.

"It seems like it." Naruto said, still in disbelief.

"Oh my god! Congratulations!" Kushina exclaimed.

They all spend the next few minutes in disbelief and wanted to spend some time celebrating but were interrupted when a man well-dressed in Kimono walked in.

"Madams it is time." He said.

"But -" Erza said.

"It's alright, I will see you all when you get back and it will be rude if the captain of the team is late to a party in their own honour." Naruto said as he was sitting on the back of an armchair.

Than Naruto spent some time on cloud nine, when he finally got off the high he looked at Harry's letter to see that he was not getting fed enough.

So, Naruto quickly took some food pills, famous among Aurors in Asian wizarding community on long stakeouts since they had all the necessary nutrients for a meal in one pill, they tasted horrible but they worked.

He told so in the letter he sent with the pills, along with his acceptance letter to I.P.C. After mailing it he went to his room, he needed to do a lot of packing and studying to do.

* * *

The villagers of Little Hangleron still called it "the Riddle House," even though it had been many years since the Riddle family had lived there.  
It stood on a hill overlooking the village, some of its windows boarded, tiles missing from its roof, and ivy spreading unchecked over its face.

Once a fine-looking manor, and easily the largest and grandest building for miles around, the Riddle House was now damp, derelict, and unoccupied.

The Little Hagletons all agreed that the old house was "creepy." Half a century ago, something strange and horrible had happened there, something that the older inhabitants of the village still liked to discuss when topics for gossip were scarce.

The story had been picked over so many times, and had been embroidered in so many places, that nobody was quite sure what the truth was anymore.

Every version of the tale, however, started in the same place: Fifty years before, at daybreak on a fine summer's morning when the Riddle House had still been well kept and impressive, a maid had entered the drawing room to find all three Riddles dead.

The maid had run screaming down the hill into the village and roused as many people as she could.

"Lying there with their eyes wide open! Cold as ice! Still in their dinner things!"

The police were summoned, and the whole of Little Hangleton had seethed with shocked curiosity and ill-disguised excitement.

Nobody wasted their breath pretending to feel very sad about the Riddles, for they had been most unpopular. Elderly Mr. and Mrs. Riddle had been rich, snobbish, and rude, and their grown-up son, Tom, had been, if anything, worse.

All the villagers cared about was the identity of their murderer - for plainly, three apparently healthy people did not all drop dead of natural causes on the same night.

The Hanged Man, the village pub, did a roaring trade that night; the whole village seemed to have turned out to discuss the murders.

They were rewarded for leaving their firesides when the Riddles' cook arrived dramatically in their midst and announced to the suddenly silent pub that a man called Frank Bryce had just been arrested.

"Frank!" cried several people. "Never!"

Frank Bryce was the Riddles' gardener. He lived alone in a run-down cottage on the grounds of the Riddle House. Frank had come back from the war with a very stiff leg and a great dislike of crowds and loud noises, and had been working for the Riddles ever since.

Over in the neighboring town of Great Hangleton, in the dark and dingy police station, Frank was stubbornly repeating, again and again, that he was innocent, and that the only person he had seen near the house on the day of the Riddles' deaths had been a teenage boy, a stranger, dark-haired and pale.

Nobody else in the village had seen any such boy, and the police were quite sure Frank had invented him.

Then, just when things were looking very serious for Frank, the report on the Riddles' bodies came back and changed everything.

The police had never read an odder report. A team of doctors had examined the bodies and had concluded that none of the Riddles had been poisoned, stabbed, shot, strangles, suffocated, or (as far as they could tell) harmed at all.

In fact (the report continued, in a tone of unmistakable bewilderment), the Riddles all appeared to be in perfect health - apart from the fact that they were all dead.

The doctors did note (as though determined to find something wrong with the bodies) that each of the Riddles had a look of terror upon his or her face - but as the frustrated police said, whoever heard of three people being frightened to death?

As there was no proof that the Riddles had been murdered at all, the police were forced to let Frank go.

The Riddles were buried in the Little Hangleton churchyard, and their graves remained objects of curiosity for a while. To everyone's surprise, and amid a cloud of suspicion, Frank Bryce returned to his cottage on the grounds of the Riddle House.

"'So far as I'm concerned, he killed them, and I don't care what the police say," said Dot in the Hanged Man. "And if he had any decency, he'd leave here, knowing as how we know he did it."

But Frank did not leave. He stayed to tend the garden for the next family who lived in the Riddle House, and then the next - for neither family stayed long.

Perhaps it was partly because of Frank that the new owners said there was a nasty feeling about the place, which, in the absence of inhabitants, started to fall into disrepair.

The wealthy man who owned the Riddle House these days neither lived there nor put it to any use; they said in the village that he kept it for "tax reasons," though nobody was very clear what these might be.

The wealthy owner continued to pay Frank to do the gardening, however. Frank was nearing his seventy-seventh birthday now, very deaf, his bad leg stiffer than ever, but could be seen pottering around the flower beds in fine weather, even though the weeds were starting to creep up on him, try as he might to suppress them.

Weeds were not the only things Frank had to contend with either. Boys from the village made a habit of throwing stones through the windows of the Riddle House. They rode their bicycles over the lawns Frank worked so hard to keep smooth.  
Once or twice, they broke into the old house for a dare.

They knew that old Frank's devotion to the house and the grounds amounted almost to an obsession, and it amused them to see him limping across the garden, brandishing his stick and yelling croakily at them.

Frank, for his part, believed the boys tormented him because they, like their parents and grandparents, though him a murderer. So when Frank awoke one night in August and saw something very odd up at the old house, he merely assumed that the boys had gone one step further in their attempts to punish him.

It was Frank's bad leg that woke him; it was paining him worse than ever in his old age. He got up and limped downstairs into the kitchen with the idea of refilling his hot-water bottle to ease the stiffness in his knee.

Standing at the sink, filling the kettle, he looked up at the Riddle House and saw lights glimmering in its upper windows. Frank knew at once what was going on. The boys had broken into the house again, and judging by the flickering quality of the light, they had started a fire.

Frank had no telephone, in any case, he had deeply mistrusted the police ever since they had taken him in for questioning about the Riddles' deaths.

He put down the kettle at once, hurried back upstairs as fast as his bad leg would allow, and was soon back in his kitchen, fully dressed and removing a rusty old key from its hook by the door. He picked up his walking stick, which was propped against the wall, and set off into the night.

The front door of the Riddle House bore no sign of being forced, nor did any of the windows. Frank limped around to the back of the house until he reached a door almost completely hidden by ivy, took out the old key, put it into the lock, and opened the door noiselessly.

He let himself into the cavernous kitchen. Frank had not entered it for many years; nevertheless, although it was very dark, he remembered where the door into the hall was, and he groped his way towards it, his nostrils full of the smell of decay, ears pricked for any sound of footsteps or voices from overhead.

He reached the hall, which was a little lighter owing to the large mullioned windows on either side of the front door, and started to climb the stairs, blessing the dust that lay thick upon the stone, because it muffled the sound of his feet and stick.

On the landing, Frank turned right, and saw at once where the intruders were: At the end of the passage a door stood ajar, and a flickering light shone through the gap, casting a long sliver of gold across the black floor. Frank edged closer and closer, he was able to see a narrow slice of the room beyond.

The fire, he now saw, had been lit in the grate. This surprised him. Then he stopped moving and listened intently, for a man's voice spoke within the room; it sounded timid and fearful.

"There is a little more in the bottle, My Lord, if you are still hungry."

"Later," said a second voice. This too belonged to a man - but it was strangely high-pitched, and cold as a sudden blast of icy wind. Something about that voice made the sparse hairs on the back of Frank's neck stand up. "Move me closer to the fire, Wormtail."

Frank turned his right ear toward the door, the better to hear. There came the clink of a bottle being put down upon some hard surface, and then the dull scraping noise of a heavy chair being dragged across the floor.

Frank caught a glimpse of a small man, his back to the door, pushing the chair into place. He was wearing a long black cloak, and there was a bald patch at the back of his head. Then he went out of sight again.

"Where is Nagini?" said the cold voice.

"I - I don't know, My Lord," said the first voice nervously. "She set out to explore the house, I think..."

"You will milk her before we retire, Wormtail," said the second voice. "I will need feeding in the night. The journey has tired me greatly."

Brow furrowed, Frank inclined his good ear still closer to the door, listening very hard. There was a pause, and then the man called Wormtail spoke again.

"My Lord, may I ask how long we are going to stay here?"

"A week," said the cold voice. "Perhaps longer. The place is moderately comfortable, and the plan cannot proceed yet. It would be foolish to act before the Quidditch World Cup is over."

Frank inserted a gnarled finger into his ear and rotated it. Owing, no doubt, to a buildup of earwax, he had heard the word "Quidditch," which was not a word at all.

"The - the Quidditch World Cup, my Lord?" said Wormtail. (Frank dug his finger still more vigorously into his ear.)

"Forgive me, but - I do not understand - why should we wait until the World Cup is over?"

"Because, fool, at this very moment wizards are pouring into the country from all over the world, and every meddler from the Ministry of Magic will be on duty, on the watch for signs of unusual activity, checking and double-checking identities. They will be obsessed with security, lest the Muggles notice anything. So we wait."

Frank stopped trying to clear out his ear. He had distinctly heard the words "Ministry of Magic," "wizards," and "Muggles." Plainly, each of these expressions meant something secret, and Frank could think of only two sorts of people who would speak in code: spies and criminals.  
Frank tightened his hold on his walking stick once more, and listened more closely still.

"Your Lordship is still determined, then?" Wormtail said quietly.

"Certainly I am determined, Wormtail." There was a note of menace in the cold voice now.

A slight pause followed - and the Wormtail spoke, the words tumbling from him in a rush, as though he was forcing himself to say this before he lost his nerve.

"It could be done without Harry Potter, my Lord."

Another pause, more protracted, and then -

"Without Harry Potter?" breathed the second voice softly. "I see -"

"My Lord, I do not say this out of concern for the boy!" said Wormtail, his voice rising squeakily.

"The boy is nothing to me, nothing at all! It is merely that if we were to use another witch or wizard - any wizard - the thing could be done so much more quickly! If you allowed me to leave you for a short while - you know that I can disguise myself most effectively - I could be back here in as little as two days with a suitable person -"

"I could use another wizard," said the cold voice softly, "that is true..."

"My Lord, it makes sense," said Wormtail, sounding thoroughly relieved now.  
"Laying hands on Harry Potter would be so difficult, he is so well protected -"

"And so you volunteer to go and fetch me a substitute? I wonder - perhaps the task of nursing me has become wearisome for you, Wormtail? Could this suggestion of abandoning the plan be nothing more than an attempt to desert me?"

"My Lord! I - I have no wish to leave you, none at all -"

"Is that so? Wormtail." It was a younger female voice, he didn't expect a young woman to be part of some crime involving murder.

"My Lady!" The man named Wormtail said.

"My lovely Daughter -" the chilling voice was suddenly filled with so much warmth, it was like it did a complete 180.

At the other hand Frank was too shocked to think straight now, the man had his own daughter as an accomplice.

"I did not rescue you so that you would raise questions Wormtail..." she was saying,  
"I did so because you were the only one that would follow orders without question, now if that is becoming too difficult for you - I can make other arrangements..." the girl said.

At this her father gave a chilling laughter while Wormtail quivered in fear.

"Of course not... your highnesses..." Wormtail managed.

"Hahaha such an amazing girl... if you haven't found me... none of the other useless maggots would have..I cannot wait for the moment." Father said,

"I only hoped, I could have done so earlier father and as you wanted, I have our friend ready for the celebration." She told him.

"No need to worry, my child, what you did is bigger than any other had done in years, and did you take care of our last guest." Father asked.

"Of course father, my baby was hungry, she is in her growing phase so she was more than happy to divulge on our guest, to which I must say, a really unexpected moment of brilliance from you, Wormtail." She said.

I - I thought she might be useful, my Lady -"

"Liar," said the Father again, the cruel amusement more pronounced than ever.

"However, I do not deny that her information was invaluable. Without it, We could never have formed our plan, and for that, you will have your reward, Wormtail. I will allow you to perform an essential task for me, one that many of my followers would give their right hands to perform..."

"Something I can help with?" his Daughter asked.

"It's a followers job my child, something as minimal as that is not for you, You are going to become my right hand, once I am back." The voice said.

"R-really, My Lord? What - ?" Wormtail sounded terrified.

"Ah, Wormtail, you don't want me to spoil the surprise? Your part will come at the very end...but I promise you, you will have the honor of being just as useful as Bertha Jorkins."

"Are you going to kill him father." The girl said, her tone was not of worry it was more of irritation, like she had wasted too much time with Wormtail and felt that killing him was useless. Frank was feeling more and more worried.

Suddenly Frank felt something go past his legs, he saw what it was and jumped in fear to see a snake, an anaconda at least 12 feet in length going by his feet, as the snake entered the room, it gave a hiss. Frank continued hearing.

"Is that so, Ms. Nagini?" The girl said.

"Ah, I see according to Nagini, there is an old Muggle standing right outside this room, listening to every word we say."

Frank didn't have a chance to hide himself. There were footsteps and then the door of the room was flung wide open.

A short, balding man with graying hair, a pointed nose, and small, watery eyes stood before Frank, a mixture of fear and alarm in his face.

"Invite him inside, Wormtail. Where are your manners?" The girl said in amusement.

Wormtail beckoned Frank into the room. Though still deeply shaken, Frank took a firmer grip on his walking stick and limped over the threshold.

The fire was the only source of light in the room; it cast long, spidery shadows upon the walls.

Frank stared at the back of the armchair; the man inside it seemed to be even smaller than his servant, while his daughter was wearing something black under a long and big peacock feather coat with a silver masquerade mask.

Frank couldn't even see the back of the man's head, but he could clearly see the girl leaning on the armchair.

"Turn my chair around my child, let me greet our guest." The man said.

"Of course Father." She turned the chair around.

And then the chair was facing Frank, and he saw what was sitting in it. His walking stick fell to the floor with a clatter. He opened his mouth and let out a scream.

He was screaming so loudly that he never heard the words the thing in the chair spoke as it raised a wand. There was a flash of green light, a rushing sound, and Frank Bryce crumpled. He was dead before he hit the floor.

"I will take my leave now Father, I have to see the plan through. So we won't be able to meet till the moment.."

"Go without worry my child, we are very close to the moment."

"Wormtail give him everything he needs... is that clear?"

"Yes...my lady.."


	45. Book 4 Chapter 2: The Potions Championship

Naruto had just told everyone of his friends about the Potion Championship, which had only become more real after a Committee member had come to his house, told him details on the competition, details which only included the location and time of the competition and that he was only allowed to carry his wand and a book or journal.

* * *

_Location of the Competition: Garden of Eden, Hidden in Arches National Park, Utah, USA._

_Time of the competition: A week from now._

* * *

He was the youngest person to participate in this competition, the rule said that only 17 year or above could participate in this, but it was more like those who do not have a trace on them would participate.

If they could clear the entrance exam, which was one of the toughest exams in the world but the funny thing was that anyone could give these exams, students did so to check their knowledge and skip classes.

However Naruto was the first person ever to be able to participate at the age of 14, he did not have a trace on him because of his special condition, he was one of few wizards in the world with dual-citizenship.

At this moment Naruto was where he went, when he needed to make sure he wasn't dreaming, like just after the success of his serum and now. He was in Uzumaki Cemetery talking to Irene.

"So, I got in, I had given the entrance test just to see how I would do, I didn't expect to make it and I especially did not expect Snape to sign off on it." He said.

"To be honest, if I am able to win this thing, I will have access to so much more material, I might get even closer to curing blood curses."  
He said with a sad smile, then heard wings flapping in some distance and he looked up to see a jet black owl come towards him, he held his hand out for the owl to land on and took the letter from its beak,

"Help yourself at the owlery." He said as the owl flew away once more, but now it flew towards the direction where the owlery was. As he saw the owl fly away he opened the letter.

* * *

_Dear Naruto;_

_I know it has been a while since we talked, I am well and I hope you are the same. I heard from some friends just how much you were hurt during the battle of Crimson island last year, it was as you mentioned due to me needing more training to face the trials in the future, to that I know you wouldn't have told anyone I am 'The Bird'._

_I trust you more than you think. I also appreciate you looking out for me by not sending any letters during the year, it was the right thing to do and that is why I am writing this letter to you, this coming year is going to be difficult on me because I have to attend Hogwarts for some reason, which I honestly do not understand myself but after this year I don't have to do so, so in a way this is my last year at Hogwarts, in a way of me attending it._

_I will be taking exams at school but will be studying from home but the next part is the most difficult one. I have to ask you to stay away from me._

_PLEASE do not take it the wrong way, you are my only true friend in that castle but something is happening, everyone at Malfoy manor is afraid and if uncle is worried that means something really funky is going to happen but I do not want you to be associated in it even by extension and I know you._

_You will try to contact me but please don't, I am not washing my hands off of you, I am actually holding the memories we made in the two years we were together as the shield that will take me through this trial._

_I hope that I can have you to count on when it's all over, and once it's over I will contact you once again._

_I know it is too much to ask for but I will do absolutely anything to make it up to you, till then just stay away from me. Sorry, I really hope you can forgive me for this._

_With Love,_

_Delphini R.B._

* * *

Naruto read through the letter twice then looked at the blue sky as if using it as a medium to talk to the Bird.

"What the hell is going on with you Delphi?"

It had been a week, Naruto had told everyone about this championship and also told Sirius that he will indeed keep an eye out for Wormtail.

The knowledge of him competing in the Wizarding Schools Potions Championship has spread throughout Hogwarts and a lot of other people had sent him letters of congratulations.

His friends had done the same, Hermione had spent 2 hours asking him questions over the phone, the person that was the happiest was Tsunade because this competition did hurt students awfully sometimes but no one ever died in it and if Naruto won, he would be like Tsunade.

Since, she won the competition back in her day, she was even called Princess of Elixirs because of her proficiency in potion making. So no pressure on him.

Naruto had went to the British Ministry of Magic where he was greeted by Mr. Weasley, Fudge and Crouch.

They congratulated him on the achievement by shaking his hand while tapped him on his shoulder with a huge smile, there he also met with Dumbledore and Snape, Snape being the one who will accompany him in the competition.

They both teleported to America, where they were joined by other participants, 8 other students and teachers pairs, along with them 9 pairs in total.

All of them taken to the location straight away, it was now that they stood in front of a big stone arch, a man well dressed in robes standing in front of them all, he started speaking in a thick Russian accent.

"Welcome to 567th Wizarding Schools Potion Championship,"

"You nine contestants have shown that you hold the talent and the work it needs to participate in such a grand competition, so without any further ado, let us begin."

The man waved his wand and a table flew in front of the students, all of whom wore hiking lowers with boots to match, with different types of upper wear but all of them were wearing robes with their school insignia's.

On the table were 9 pouches along with a crystal bowl with envelopes in it.

"The pouches have all essentials a potioneer would need, apart from wands of course, and the bowl is your task." He said, all students were filled with excitement and intrigue.

"In the bowl are 9 envelopes, each envelope has a note and a piece of parchment, the parchment will show you the location of your final test from your location,"

"By muttering a simple 'Revealing Charm' if you ask your map for the test location you have to head there instantly, the test however is in the note, for you see it gives you a hint for the final test,"

"All the ingredients you will or might need for brewing any and all the potion are in the enchanted garden behind me, we know, we checked."

"That sounds ominous." a young Russian male voice came from beside him.

"It might sound that way but you see the garden is 50 hectare in size,"

"That is bigger than Vatican City." A French female voice.

"It is filled with all types of creatures and you have to find the ingredients within 3 days." He continued.

"I sense another catch." Naruto said.

"Well of course there is, you see this is a race for the final price, to reach the brewing stations is your goal through the hint the rest you must figure out yourself, if you want to win." The man finally finished.

"Let's go then." It was an American girl that said it.

Even though they all faced an extremely difficult predicament, they all had excited smiles on their faces, even the teachers had smirks including Snape.

One by one each student moved to the table and picked up a pouch and an envelope, they were told not to open them, till they went through the arch.  
After they all had taken there stuff and were standing back at their positions.

* * *

**DAY 1**

"I now have only one thing to say to you all, may the best one win. Starting from the youngest." All looked at Naruto as he took a deep breath nodded and walked through the arch to appear in a rainforest. The gate disappearing behind him.

"Of course, they don't want to send all the participants together in case they end up attacking each other," Naruto muttered to himself as he opens the envelope, he pulled out the note and put the rest back into the pouch. He waited for a moment and then unfolded the note to read,

"Felix Felicis."

It was at this moment Naruto knew, he was screwed, it was one of the most advanced potions out there, he needed Ashwinder egg, Squill bulb, Murtlap tentacle, tincture of Thyme, Occamy eggshell and powdered common Rue.

Squill bulb, Thyme and Rue were easy to find, they are plants with almost no defence mechanism, and the perfect time of harvest can be obtained through magic the problem were, Ashwinder egg, Murtlap tentacle and Occamy eggshell.

Granted he was good with Ashwinder and Occamy, so might be able to get the things from the two with relative ease but Murtlaps were nasty mouse like creatures, they spent most of their time underground and only in temperate maritime climate, so he would keep that for last.

Above all, even if he is able to get all the ingredients needed there was another huge problem, it took 6 months to brew Felix Felicis.  
Five months to collect the ingredients, even if the ingredients could be collected in 3 days because of the enchantment around the garden.

The month to brew the things together was the time he did not have,

'What the hell am I gonna do?' Naruto thought as he looked around with a surgeon's precision, he spotted a very big tree, which reached far above the canopy.

He was in awe with magnificent beauty of the part of garden he was in, his thoughts on just how long it might have taken to make it so, he could not see the sky only green was visible to him. It suddenly clicked to him.

"The tree of Senex - if I can find the tree I can age anything."

He muttered to himself while thanking Hermione on the revelation, she had bought a book on amazing magical plants which she was reading to him during one of their conversations, it was then she had mentioned the Tree.

The tree's root and fruit had an amazing quality that it could age things, depending upon the amount you used, the tale of its discovery was one of the funniest.

Once a muggle boy was lost in the forest when he stumbled upon the tree, he was hungry so he ate the complete fruit and when he did, he aged 10 years, people believed he was stuck in some other world for 10 years and could not remember it.

The nearest wizard had heard the stories and went to check the tree and discovered the tree's amazing ability.

So, with a purpose he set out.

Naruto has spent most of the day travelling and exploring, just like he predicted he had gotten Squill plant but he had to cast a spell on it, so that it would flower and he could take some of it's bulbs.

He was also got Thyme and Rue, he also got a lot of other things for brewing different potions along with a couple of fishes, just because he could, sooner than he realized night came.

He went through the pouch and found a non-enchanted tent in it, he quickly put it together and gathered trees, he also erected some barriers around the tent. It was finally time to light the fire and eat some roasted fish.

He was munching on the fish when he heard noise from somewhere in the part of the forest that he had chosen to travel tomorrow.

He looked back to see, a bunch of mountain trolls walking past his barrier.

'That's not good.'

* * *

**DAY 2**

Naruto woke up early, the sun was just about to rise over the horizon, Naruto had spent the entire last day completely carelessly as he did not account for the fact that a lot of creatures must be crawling the garden, even the nasty ones.

He set up a brewing station and started brewing some emergency potions, namely smoke potion and freeze potion and filled some small beakers he was provided with the potions, after he had tightly packed the beakers with cork.

He set out to the part of the garden where he imagined he would find the rest of the ingredients, he traveled for some hours collecting and cataloguing in the pages of his journal.  
After some time he reached a damaged tomb. As he walked closer to the tomb, he could feel the heat coming from the tomb.

He immediately realized that this is where he would find the most dangerous and difficult part of his mission.

'Ashwinder's egg,'

He entered the tomb quietly in the cover of debris.  
He was extremely surprised to see he wasn't the only one in the tomb, the Russian kid was also in the tomb. He was waiting and glancing at the pit in which a couple of Ashwinders were nesting, there were sudden burst of flames from the pit.  
This signified that, The Ashwinder were laying eggs.

'Impeccable timing, it's like I already am, high on Liquid luck.'

They both spend some time waiting, while they did Naruto pulled out a beaker of both potions he brewed before.

They were both waiting for a particular type of burst, it's flash would blind them for some seconds, the seconds that will decide who will get the egg first, each moment was going frame by frame.  
Then there it was.

Flames went up and around filling the entire pit in flames, Naruto without looking were it went, threw the smoke potion, and ran, ran straight towards the hole where the ashwinders were laying eggs.

He was highly impervious to heat because of his flame alchemy training.  
He heard a cuss in Russian but didn't care.

He waited when heat from the pit was just low enough for him to throw the freezing potion in the pit and because of the sudden change in temperature wind rushed out.

Clearing the pit of smoke but making the smoke denser on the Russian kid who cussed once again Naruto could see that the heat from the Ashwinders was already starting to melt the ice, he jumped into the pit, skidding on ice and then located the eggs, 8 in total.

He didn't need that much, his sun tattoo moved to his palms and glowed, they kept on glowing as Naruto melted the ice and took a single egg out. He looked at the Ashwinder directly into her eyes.

"I am sorry." And disapperated.

He appeared outside the tomb and ran back into the forest. His palm was still glowing he took out a collection box from the pouch and poured the freezing potion in it, then he put the glowing egg in it and closed it.

His palm stopped glowing and the tattoo moved back to his shoulder he opened the box once again and now the egg was covered in ice, it was not melting but the egg was still glowing.

"Shit! It's by pure dumb luck that this worked." Naruto exclaimed to himself as he took deep breaths, realisation slowly coming to him on just how lucky he was.

He then put the box back in the pouch and pulled out his wand, he dug it into the ground and put his hand around it like he was working on a crystal ball.

"Torēsu: Occamy."

The shadow cast by his wand moved and then started to point to a different direction, this was the spell he had been using to track the things around the garden.

He studied the shadow and put it to memory, he then took out his wand and started walking in the general direction.

He once again followed the same routine as he did for the last few hours, collecting and cataloguing, he had a pretty good idea where he was heading, to a cave formation.

Occamy always stay in the caves, by nature so not to overgrow and be spotted easily, it was a behavioural protective adaptation.  
He was also looking for something particularly not uncommon but problematic to find in a huge ass garden, a bug.

He could see the change in geography around him, to conclude that he was nearing his destination but without Amaterasu or a bug, he stood a jack of a chance in getting eggshells.

The Occamy was one resistant breed of creatures, They were beautiful in his mind but were shunned by other people because of being dangerous, he always thought that assumption to be stupid.

If someone came after his home he would also attack but just because he could speak he was 'normal' and they were 'dangerous'.

He reached the mouth of a cave and took out his wand.

"Accio." He said as he waved his wand around, he felt a tug which meant there was a bug in the area he just needed to pull harder.

"Accio!" He said once again and he waited as a small cockroach came flying towards him.

'Alright, things are going incredibly well.'

He walked into the dark cave and cast lumos, his wand's tip started to glow as he walked in deeper and deeper.

The humidity started to increase deeper he went and soon condensed water appeared on the floors, he reached a part of cave which was more open.

He thought he felt movement in front of him, he stopped and started to push his wand further ahead while chanting in his head.

'Don't be full sized, Don't be full sized, Don't be full sized.'

A huge eye, bigger in diameter than his wand opened in front of him.

'Of course.'  
He deadpanned.

He pushed magic into his wand to fill the entire cave with light, the sudden flash revealed a whole bunch of smaller Occamies in a nest by the cave wall.

His target the eggshells, in the nest alongside the small babies, were in pieces probably from getting trashed around by the little guys.  
He jumped back to get away from the mother's attack, he shot a full powered.

"Immobulus!"

The mother stopped mid air, he ran to the nest and quickly picked up as much eggshells as he could without even touching the little ones then he turned to the mother and said.

"See ya!" The cockroach was useless to him so he just dropped it and disapperated.

He appeared outside the cave, two more ingredients and he's golden but he had to find someplace to camp and something to eat because it was already night time.

He found a place and he also found some edible mushrooms and some tomatoes. He would be having soup as his primary meal tonight.

* * *

**DAY 3**

The third day started like his second day did, he brewed some extra potions just in case and hiked through the garden towards where he would find Murtlap and Senex.

He made it to the top of the hill behind which his target was, he looked around to see a giant thick hided venomous serpent surrounding the hill.  
It was coiled around the Senex tree, It had grown so big definitely by eating from the tree, instead of dying from old age, it kept growing and now was as big as the hill itself.

There was no way Naruto was getting through this beast with just magic, so he took out a single flask of something he had brewed this morning.

Sleeping Potion.

He threw the flask in the air and fired a precise shot of, 'Engorgio' on it. The flask enlarged and then burst into smoke and completely covered the area in thick purple smoke.

He hid behind a rock and tried his hardest not breath. He heard a thud but did not move, took out his wand and said.

"Ventis!"

The wind generated from his wand cleared the smoke, he then finally peaked in to see the snake dozing calmly by the tree then he quietly tipped toe near the tree, took a couple of fruits and some roots.

Then he ran away from the place, he moved as fast as he could to the final location.

He was running out of daylight and had wasted a long time running up and down the hill. So, he ran with all his might finally reaching an area where he saw a lot of holes on the ground.

This one wouldn't require a lot of time since he could just pull the rodents with a spell but he didn't have it in him to kill a Murtlap.

He had already stole an egg from a mother, killing a creature would kill him. So, he pulled out a recently dead Murtlap from the ground and put it in a mason jar.

He ran back into the woods and stopped. He then pulled out the parchment and muttered;

"Revelio"  
A location appeared on the paper and he instantly disapperated away.

He appeared in a room, a table in front of him which was fully equipped to become the perfect potion making station. He also spotted a big pillar of lava in one of the corners.

He paid some attention to notice that in random set of intervals the lava tower would break just enough for him to see a big Gold Cauldron hidden inside the tower of lava.

He kept notice of the breaks to confirm that the intervals were indeed truly completely random.

He didn't get the gist for some time but then it clicked.

"Ohhhh What!? Are you kidding me! Brew a perfect Felix Felicis, drink it and pull the Cauldron out to win, I am so fucking sick of lava! Ugh!"

Naruto let out, frustrated but he also realized that he was among the first ones here, since the Cauldron was still here.

He quickly went into action, set up his table with a fire station, Cauldron on top, brass scales, knife, stirring stick, mortar and pestle with fresh ingredients alongside them.

He quickly took Senex fruit out, cut it into a tiny piece then he scaled it and when he thought it was enough he put it in mortar, weighed charcoal, then added it too.

Finally added some water in it and crushed the mixer together to make it into a rough paste, he took the paste and lined the entire inner side of the Cauldron with it. He put it on flames and added very little water in it.

He then gently put the Ashwinder egg in it, he took a horseradish he found on the table and he sliced it into pieces and added it to the mix, then he waved his wand and the flames increased.

He then took a single Squill bulb and crushed it with the blunt side of his knife, he waved his wand to reduce the flame, as juice came out of the bulb and he picked it up and juiced it above the Cauldron, he counted as seven drops went in.  
He picked up his stirring stick and enchanted it to stir the mixture vigorously.

He let the potion stirr as he pulled out the mason jar with the dead Murtlap in it, he pulled the dead body out and slowly cut the anemone-like growth on it's back and added it to the mixture once again increasing the flames with a wave of his wand.

He put the body back in the mason jar and waved his wand over it, the body was burned to ash and into the ash, he put a seed he got from the Senex fruit in it. He also muttered a quick.

"From your life, births another." In Japanese.

He then took Thyme out and crushed it in his hands and it turned into pieces and added a tincture of it into the Cauldron, he lifted the enchantment from the stick and stirred the mixture himself slowly.

While on the other hand, he weighed the Occamy eggshells and put them in the mortar and enchanted the pestle to grind it into fine powder, after sometime he put the powder into the mixture. He kept stirring it slowly.

He weighed the rue and did the same with it as with Occamy eggs and added the powder into the mix as well.  
He enchanted the stick to stir it vigorously, and one last time waved his wand over the fire, it grew to cover the entire Cauldron in flames.

He needed to let the brew boil for a while, it was now that he finally looked up to the pillar, the Cauldron was still there. He took a deep breath lowered the flames.

The mixture was a boiling black liquid at this point. He waved the wand over the potion in a figure of eight and said,

"Felixempra!"

He waited, the black liquid slowly turned into a golden coloured liquid, he still waited. A single drop of golden liquid boiled out and above the Cauldron.

He watched it like a hawk as it sailed in air and landed back in the Cauldron, he quickly took out a vial and put it on a stand.

He took the liquid in a vial, and waved his wand over the station to clean it and pack it all back into the pouch. He walked past the table and towards the pillar, he muttered.

"Salud!" As he drank the potion in one go,

"This feels weird, am I dead?" Naruto said as he looked around, he spotted the lava pillar than looked back at his hands.

"The one that was already destroyed or the good one?" Naruto asked himself then decided.

"Meh, Baa going to kill me either way, might as well use the destroyed one."  
He closed his eyes and pushed his right hand through the pillar, he felt like he was moved and the next thing he heard was cheering.

He opened his eyes to see he was in a ground, people sitting all around him on raised ground,like a colosseum.

He looked around and spotted, Mito, Kushina, Tsunade, Shizune, this didn't surprise him the rest did, there were. Mrs. Weasley, Mr. Weasley, Fred, George, Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Betty sitting together and cheering for him. He smiled at them and looked up to see nine screens, showing all the participants.

"What the hell? You were following us?" Naruto shouted.

"Yes, we were." The Russian man said.

"But... I took a couple of baths buck naked." Naruto muttered, he was actually blushing.

Many women and girls blushed as well.

"We were able to blur, some parts." He said as he walked next to Naruto.

"That doesn't make it ok!" Naruto shouted.

"You have reached the very end my boy." The man started completely ignoring Naruto's last burst out, "Now only one thing remains, brewing a potion of your own design, and remember 'Fuse Serum' is indeed an original potion but it is already well known, you have to brew a completely new potion right now."

He said and looked at Naruto, he expected a look of shock but in turn he was shocked to see a smirk on Naruto's face.

"I can do that, one problem -!"

"Ingredients?" The man asked.

"Yes,"

"Don't worry, all the ingredients you could need are here, you just name them." He answered.

"Alright, then get me some privacy." Naruto said.

Soon he was in the clearing surrounded by black curtains away from the view of all spectators.

Kushina had paid for the entire Weasley family, Hermione and Betty to visit and attend this event.  
They were more than happy to do so and since inside the garden time went faster than outside they all were out here for only 6 hours as Naruto spend 3 days in the garden.

They watched him go around the garden like they were watching in fast forward and the play was slowed down for important bits, like when he collected and catalogued ingredients, everyone was especially impressed when he apologized for the egg.

The girls tried to look over the part where his body was shown but nobody could actually 'look' over it, especially the part where Betty accidentally muttered aloud.

"He got hotter."  
Everyone had heard that.

Fred and George could not hold themselves from laughing.  
They were all extremely proud when he reached the Cauldron and teleported here.

"This is it." Tsunade muttered.

"What does that mean?" Hermione asked.

She had sat next to Tsunade when she kept muttering uses of ingredients that Naruto picked up.

"The part that sets him as a Potioneer, this is where I first brewed elixir of healing in front of anybody. What he brews here has to be something that tells his story." Tsunade told her, she really liked Hermione.

They all watched as other students were teleported from the garden and back out here. All were positively disappointed as they gathered on the stands to look at the curtains.

An hour went by and then the curtain fell. Naruto walked out. He held a vial in his one hand, while he held a dragon scale in his other, all 'cameras' focused on him as he walked forward.

"This potion is what I call, 'Elixir of Animagi'." His voice booming in the stands.

"Once successfully made, one can add any creature's essence into it." he slide the scale into the vial.

"And chant the incantation 'Amato Animo Animato Animagus'."  
As he did the liquid in the vial turned bright blue, he chucked it. His eyes glowed blue for a second and continued.

"And once you do so, you are an Animagus of your choosing for the next 12 hours - proof."

He muttered as he started to grow and turned into a giant black and blue dragon, the dragon lifted off the ground flew around the arena and just before landing spewed fire, he then turned back into his human form.

"Some conditions and overdose problems but other than that relatively harmless concoction." He finished.

There was pin drop silence in the arena and it was broken by the Tsunade.

"Holy shit! He outdid me!" Tsunade said, soon the entire arena was filled with cheers. Even his competitors were clapping, though with sour looks.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure to announce the winner of 567th Wizarding Schools Potion Championship, Naruto. U. Namikaze!"  
The Russian man said, Naruto couldn't help himself but give his signature foxy grin.

At the ending ceremony, Naruto was given a Gold Cauldron (which he will put in his vault), a badge that symbolized him as the winner, he would become a permanent member of I.P.C. and his name would appear on every paper in the world.

During dinner they were all assembled in Naruto's home for a party in celebration of Naruto's victory.  
Naruto's entire family, Weasleys, Hermione and Betty were all invited to it, the only ones in the house; Snape was invited but he refused and went back to England after congratulating Naruto on his victory.

One other man that was in the house was tan-skinned dark brown spiked haired with a small goatee.

He had a single line running vertically under the outer corners of each eye as he was wearing a brown short Kimono and black shinobi sandals.

This man was a Green Master of People of The Forest named, 'The Professor', he was standing awkwardly beside Shizune.

Naruto also had his band tied on his left hand, Since now he believed that he had finally done something worth to wear the name.

He thought of introducing himself to the man but he was too busy having fun dining and talking with everyone else.

Naruto was chatting with Fred and George. Betty, Hermione and Ginny had made them swear not to blab the 'hotter' part but they didn't need to, as the twins already had a topic to talk about, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

"This sounds awesome." Naruto replied to one of the toffee ideas that the twins shared with him.

"No it doesn't!" Mrs. Weasley shouted, she instinctively knew what the three were talking about.

Tsunade ignored her outburst and chose this moment to raise her sake cup and give a toast.

"To Naruto."  
She started, everyone raised their glasses.

"The man, who showed compassion, determination, hard work and true virtues of a warrior in every scenario presented to him with grace and a stupid smile on his face." She finished with a giant smile.

"To Naruto!" Everyone cheered.

"Thank you all, I love you all for showing up and full disclosure, the stupid smile, its my move."  
Naruto said with a smile and soon a maid came to tell them dinner was ready and they all moved to the dining table.

Then everyone enjoyed a very well prepared 3 course meal and after the evening of celebration, the guests retired to the resort provided to them.

* * *

Few days later, after all of Naruto's friends had already went home, they all had told him they were going to meet him in the finals of the World Cup.

Naruto did a single interview for The Ledger, being the youngest member of international Potioneering Committee he needed to make some form of statement.

The reporter tried to get a lot of information about his personal life but he was able to dodge them.  
Currently, Naruto was with his black messenger sling bag across his shoulders and his briefcase in its shrunken form inside the black bag along with his trunk was standing in the hallway.

He was dressed in black narrow bottom jeans and his signature orange hoodie, his band on his left arm and Mito's gift, the Kimoyo Beads on his right arm.

He was also wearing a Bandana right now covering his hair.

His family was gathering in the hall to bid him farewell as he was about to leave for England.

Mito dressed in her work clothes with her gear bag by the armchair she was sitting on. Soon Kushina, dressed for office. Tsunade and Shizune dressed as they normally were entered the hall behind Kushina.

"You look stupid in that bandana." Mito said.

"I know, it's for another reason." Naruto answered, Then continued.

"I'll be very straight, I was alone, physically for most of my life, but I always had something that connected me to my family, to you guys -" the others looked sad.

"I got my personality from Maa, I got my hair from Dad, who got it from Baa. Also my Eyes from Dad."  
The two mentioned smiled at this.

"However, I never had anything remotely physically connecting to Grandpa or my sisters, so -"  
He removed his bandana to show a single streak of red in his hair.

Then he pulled out his necklace, that he got from Tsunade last year and showed that it now had two metal beads at either side of the green gem.

One had Shizune and other had Jiraya written on it. They all smiled brightly at this and hugged him.

After a small emotional conversation they said their goodbyes and Naruto pulled out the portkey, the Pocket Watch, similar to the one he used last year.

"When Japan makes it, I'll see you all in the finals." He said just before he disapperated.


	46. Book 4 Chapter 3: The Woes of Betty Cooper

Elizabeth Cooper, or as people commonly called her Betty.

The girl that was born in America had moved to England due to many circumstances. Circumstances both private and professional, on her parents side.

She always knew that when she moved, her life would change in a number of ways.  
At first, it was moving in a neighbourhood of Brits but that went better than she had hoped, all thanks to her quickly befriending the one year older neighbor girl, Hermione Granger.

At first they went to the same school but after one particular summer Hermione joined a secret boarding school.  
Betty was sad at first but she compensated by trying to get by as much as she could.  
However her life also changed, more than she could ever have imagined the summer following Hermione's joining her boarding school.

When an oddly dressed woman paid her a visit. That woman being Professor Minerva McGonagall.

Hermione was visiting Betty at the time and when McGonagall showed up both girls were suprised to see her house that day.

Finally, McGonagall with help from Hermione explained the wizarding world to Betty.  
Her parents were extremely happy but weren't surprised by the revelation that there daughter was different, they told everyone that a lot of odd things happen around her whenever she was feeling a strong emotion.

A friend of theirs had even suggested that she had the devil in her but they had just called that friend a moron and moved on.

Since, Hermione was there to help Betty through the Hogwarts basics, McGonagall chose to let them handle it themselves.

She was so excited when she along with her parents and the Grangers went to Diagon Alley that she started to run as soon as the wall parted to show Diagon alley.

She wanted to see as much as she could as fast as possible.  
It was then that she crashed into a robed figure, and fell.

Hermione had told her that manners in Wizarding world were must for people like them, wizards who were muggle born.

So, she had imagined that the person she had crashed into would give her an earful.

She had not registered what Hermione had said to her because she was instantly infatuated with the boy's eyes.  
She could only mutter a dreamy, 'Sorry' to him when Hermione had exclaimed the boy's name and hugged him.

The boy, Naruto U. Namikaze, Hermione's best friend and in Hermione's words, 'smartest boy she had ever met.'

She was in a trance when he turned to her and apologised, however before she could form some form of image in front of him, her mother had ruined it.

They later introduced each other and were joined by some of the other Hermione's friends, among them she met her now, best friend Ginny Weasley.  
They had to go through an awkward conversation about Naruto's family and then they were joined by a boy that she had read about in one of the books on modern wizarding world, Harry Potter, the boy who lived.

They dispersed, it was after that her and Ginny's friendship started to grow.  
After an eventful hour at Flourish and Blotts, she had left with her group. She made Hermione tell her everything about Naruto and not to raise any suspicion about Harry as well.

The next time she ran into Naruto was on platform 9 ¾. He was looking for a coach to board when he ran into them, he greeted them but all she could mutter was 'Hello.'

Once again, that was so low she was sure he couldn't hear her. They boarded the coach and sat in the same cabin.

Betty had felt extremely stressful both because of her first journey to Hogwarts and the crush she had developed on Naruto.

She kept on going through scenarios in her head and when Naruto called her name, she exclaimed, much to her embarrassment.

They had a pleasant conversation even after her exclamation but then the whole flying car incident happened, it was difficult to steer the conversation to another direction after that.

At the school, she was sorted into Gryffindor something she was extremely happy about because both Hermione and Ginny were in the house.

She was however extremely surprised to find that Naruto was also in Gryffindor because she had believed, depending on the stories Hermione had told her, he was a Ravenclaw.

Hermione had also failed to mention a particular detail in all the stories she had told, how fun Naruto is and Hermione wasn't also kidding about the smartest boy part either.

Every teacher talked about him in class, even Snape sometimes muttered a word in his favour.  
She ran into him in the common room but didn't have a proper conversation with him until she ran into him or walked upto him, when he was sitting by some trees.

She had been passing through the hallway that overlooked the area, she wasn't feeling hungry so she thought about joining him. She would always remember that day, when she walked upto him and stood in front of him.

"Avoiding something?" She asked him when he looked up.

"Trying to hard to be the next Hermione?" Naruto asked.

They chuckled as Naruto moved aside so Betty could drop her bag to the side and sit next to him.

"I have been physically alone most of my life but lately I have been feeling more alone than I have in a long time, and my only fear in this world is to be surrounded by people but being alone, and I feel like I am on a path to that reality. Only a couple of things are keeping me sane." He told her.

"My mother is a little too 'much' sometimes and I have an older sister by 9 years, she is muggle like my parents and even though my mother is equally proud in both of us in our respective paths, she hates this family and when my sister started dating this family's son, she lost it, started going ballistic on my sister, like you are now, my sister was held sane only by me and her boyfriend but then for some reason he broke up with her and she.." Betty was choking up,  
"She ran away, it broke my parents up, so as soon as we found her, we moved to England. I know it was also my parent's fault but I have to be as perfect, so that they can focus on my sister without worrying about me." Betty finished.

"I have been friends with Moronic trio and Delphini for over a year and I have not told them this, do you have some special ability." Naruto said with a chuckle.

"Damaged people often feel the most comfortable together." Betty said.

"Very wise words coming from a 11 year old." Naruto said.

They both chuckled as there was a comfortable silence between them it was finally broken by a bell that indicated that lunch time was over and it was time to head back to class, Naruto collected himself up, then helped Betty up.

It was then that Betty realised why Naruto was in Gryffindor. He was not bound, He was free and fearless.

Fearless not in the sense that he was not afraid of things, if that were the case he would be a nutter. Fearless in a way that he accepted everything, even his fears and insecurities with a smile.

If that wasn't bravery, nothing could be.  
The rest of that year, she got occupied with 'Ginny and the diary' situation and didn't have much time to wonder about boys. During those time she had also befriended her other best friend Luna Lovegood.

Another day she wouldn't forget was when she wanted to get some advice about the diary from Hermione and she had ambushed Hermione but since the 3 boys were with her she couldn't say anything clearly but Naruto had stepped in to help.

That day she had quickly made up an excuse about the transfiguration homework. She still regrets not telling him the truth.

Over the period with his performance in the Quidditch pitch, his pranks alongside the twins, the amazing bag with the extension charm that he gifted her for Christmas and his other rumours like the dueling club fight he became more and more amazing, it was too perfect. He was too perfect.

However once again her attention was brought back to Ginny, then what occurred in the Chamber of Secrets, during which time she was too busy worrying to notice and question things.

Though later she figured it out, the flaw in perfect Naruto, he kept secrets. No matter what he had a guard on, like he was always afraid of someone getting close and hurting him.

She later found out it was because of how his life had been; even though a smart one, he was still a child who kept getting abandoned by people or looked at with hatred.

The woman that took care of him had to burn every memory related to him. In his mind, his mother who even though tried to fight for him, it wasn't enough to keep him, his grandma walked away from him even though no one could have stopped her if she wanted to be with him.  
He had abandonment issues and instead of becoming a sociopath and hurting others, he never let anyone get close to him.

This realisation actually made Betty rethink everything, he was hurt more than enough and if she got close, she had to be sure that she would never leave him.

After the entire Battle of Crimson Island, she kept her distance. She had been extremely anxious for the rest of her summer, when she didn't get any news on his health.

Finally she heard from Hermione, who had heard from Ron, who was told by Mrs. Weasley, that Kushina said that Naruto was finally awake and would be fine soon enough. They also said that he would receive some physical therapy over the summer but will be able to return to Hogwarts.

Then that summer ended and Naruto changed more, he became more loving and funny than before, even trusting. Later Betty became the only one to figure out why he changed, he lost love, he almost lost his life; he did get his family back but at a very high cost and now he was using humour as a way to hide his pain.

He had changed on the island, the things that had happened rewrote him. He was reborn, he had different burdens, different goals and different conditions to live in now. Naruto that walked out of the Island was not the one she had a crush on but he did become the person she had fallen in love with.

That's where stood her problem, over the period of summer vacation she wanted to talk to him but if she was the only one that did it, it would be too obvious and she didn't want that, so she had asked Ginny to do it as well. To ask him random stuff but send letters nonetheless, Ginny was sceptical at first but then she also found a friend.

Then Naruto again did something spectacular, he became the youngest winner of Wizarding Schools Potion Championship.

She had grown a lot during this summer, She was taller and more developed than most girls, even those that were two years older than her but when she went to see him participate in Wizarding Schools Potion Championship. So did he.

She was extremely surprised to see that, well as she had muttered 'He got Hotter' and everyone had heard her with Mr. Weasley, who was enjoying a nice pint spitting it out, Kushina giving her a death glare alongside Tsunade.

While Mrs. Weasley giggled, Shizune tried hard to muffle her's behind her sleeves. Mito had to cover her laughter with her hands but the Twins weren't so respectful as they had burst out laughing, Ron just smirked as Ginny and Hermione were embarrassed for her.

The two girls were however able to convince everyone to not blab the spill to Naruto. She had promised herself that this has to be the year where she finally confessed.

All that lead to today, Her's and Hermione's trunks packed and ready in Hermione's home with their parents. All of them waiting by the fireplace. In her letter Ginny had mentioned that they will come by floo powder so to keep their fireplace ready and prepared.

Suddenly, there was a huge green fire in the fireplace and out of it stepped Mrs. Weasley and Ginny, they all did introductions and then Mrs. Weasley and Ginny helped the girls with their trunks into the fireplace, first Ginny and Betty with Betty's trunk stepped in.

Ginny took a handful powder and said, "The Burrow."

Both of them appeared on the other side to be greeted by a tall man, with long red hair tied back in a ponytail. He was wearing an earring with what looked like a fang dangling from it. His clothes would not have looked out of place at a rock concert, he helped the girls with the trunk and introduced himself to Betty.

"Hello, I am Bill." He said.

"I am Elizabeth Cooper but you can call me Betty. You are the one that works at Gringotts, right?" Betty said.

"Yes, I am." He answered and then there was another flash of green, Hermione and Mrs. Weasley appeared. Bill helped them too and then moved to the dining table. There Betty and Hermione met up with Harry and the others.

"Tell me what, Arthur?" Mrs. Weasley repeated, in a dangerous sort of voice as she had heard the last bit of the conversation happening in the kitchen.

"It's nothing, Molly," mumbled Mr. Weasley,  
"Fred and George just - but I've had words with them -"

"What have they done this time?" said Mrs. Weasley.  
"If it's got anything to do with Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes -"

"Why don't you show Harry where he's sleeping, Ron?" said Hermione from the doorway.

"Let's go Betty." Ginny added.

"He knows where he's sleeping," said Ron, "in my room, he slept there last -"  
"We can all go," said Hermione pointedly.

"Oh," said Ron, cottoning on. "Right."

"Yeah, we'll come too," said George.

"You stay where you are!" snarled Mrs. Weasley.

Harry and Ron edged out of the kitchen and they, Hermione, Betty and Ginny set off along the narrow hallway and up the rickety staircase that zigzagged through the house to the upper stories.

"What are Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes?" Harry asked as they climbed.  
Ron and Ginny both laughed, although Hermione didn't. Betty just smiled.

"Mum found this stack of order forms when she was cleaning Fred and George's room," said Ron quietly.

"Great long price lists for stuff they've invented. Joke stuff, you know. Fake wands and trick sweets, loads of stuff. It was brilliant, I never knew they'd been inventing all that . . ."

"We've been hearing explosions out of their room for ages, but we never thought they were actually making things," said Ginny.  
"We thought they just liked the noise."

"Only, most of the stuff - well, all of it, really - was a bit dangerous," said Ron, "and, you know, they were planning to sell it at Hogwarts to make some money, and Mum went mad at them. Told them they weren't allowed to make any more of it, and burned all the order forms - She's furious at them anyway. They didn't get as many O.W.L.s as she expected."

* * *

_O.W.L.s were Ordinary Wizarding Levels, the examinations Hogwarts students took at the age of fifteen._

* * *

"And then there was this big row," Ginny said, "because Mum wants them to go into the Ministry of Magic like Dad, and they told her all they want to do is open a joke shop."

Just then a door on the second landing opened, and a face poked out wearing horn-rimmed glasses and a very annoyed expression.

"Hi, Percy," said Harry.

"Oh hello, Harry ,Betty, Hermione." said Percy. "I was wondering who was making all the noise. I'm trying to work, in here, you know I've got a report to finish for the office - and it's rather difficult to concentrate when people keep thundering up and down the stairs."

"We're not thundering, "said Ron irritably.  
"We're walking. Sorry if we've disturbed the top-secret workings of the Ministry of Magic."

"What are you working on?" asked Betty.

"A report for the Department of International Magical Cooperation," said Percy smugly.  
"We're trying to standardize cauldron thickness. Some of these foreign imports are just a shade too thin - leakages have been increasing at a rate of almost three percent a year -"

"That'll change the world, that report will," said Ron. "Front page of the Daily Prophet, I expect, cauldron leaks."

Percy went slightly pink.

"You might sneer, Ron," he said heatedly, "but unless some sort of international law is imposed we might well find the market flooded with flimsy, shallow- bottomed products that seriously endanger -"

"Yeah, yeah, all right," said Ron, and he started off upstairs again. Percy slammed his bedroom door shut.

As Harry, Hermione, Betty and Ginny followed Ron up three more flights of stairs, shouts from the kitchen below echoed up to them. It sounded as though Mr. Weasley had told Mrs. Weasley about the toffees.

They all sat down in Ron's room and wanting to talk about random stuff. Inside the room sat the black owl that was gifted to Ron by Sirius, as it spotted the group and started to make sound at them.

"Pig!" Betty said as she went to pet him.

"Shut up, Pig," said Ron, edging his way between two of the four beds that had been squeezed into the room.

"Fred and George are in here with us, because Bill and Charlie are in their room," he told Harry.  
"Percy gets to keep his room all to himself because he's got to work."

"Er - why are you calling that owl Pig?" Harry asked Ron.

"Because he's being stupid," said Ginny,

"His proper name is Pigwidgeon." added Betty.

"We named him." Ginny said and smiled at Betty.

"Yeah, and that's not a stupid name at all," said Ron sarcastically.

"They reckons it's sweet. And I tried to change it, but it was too late, he won't answer to anything else. So now he's Pig. I've got to keep him up here because he annoys Errol and Hermes. He annoys me too, come to that."

They talked some and then headed downstairs to help with dinner, they were all dining in the yard.


	47. Book 4 Chapter 4: The Quidditch World Cup

From the yard a very loud crashing noise was coming. The source of the commotion was revealed to Harry and Ron as they entered the garden and saw that Bill and Charlie both had their wands out, and were making two battered old tables fly high above the lawn, smashing into each other, each attempting to knock the other's out of the air.

Fred and George were cheering, Ginny and Betty were laughing, and Hermione was hovering near the hedge, apparently torn between amusement and anxiety.

Bill's table caught Charlie's with a huge bang and knocked one of its legs off. There was a clatter from overhead, and they all looked up to see Percy's head poking out of a window on the second floor.

"Will you keep it down?!" he bellowed.

"Sorry, Perce," said Bill, grinning. "How're the cauldron bottoms coming on?"

"Very badly," said Percy peevishly, and he slammed the window shut. Chuckling, Bill and Charlie directed the tables safely onto the grass, end to end, and then, with a flick of his wand, Bill reattached the table leg and conjured tablecloths from nowhere.

By seven o'clock, the two tables were groaning under dishes and dishes of Mrs. Weasley's excellent cooking, and the nine Weasleys, Harry, Hermione and Betty were settling themselves down to eat beneath a clear, deep-blue sky. They talked about the match they were attending, Japan vs Bulgaria.

"Do you reckon we will run into Naruto tomorrow?" Betty asked Ginny.

"Of course we will, his sister is the captain of the team." Ron answered as he overheard them.

"He's been at every single one of Japan's matches." Mr. Weasley said.

"Do you mean 'Japan's Super fan'?" Bill asked.

"Super fan?" Betty.

"Yeah, each team or sometime players have a fan that always attracts the most attention during the games, Naruto is 'The Scarlet's Super fan', always carrying this huge Banner, that show's her scoring and doing stunts, followed by the teams' flag and mascot. The entire team might sign it, if they win." Charlie said.

"Well we'll find that tomorrow won't we -" said as Mr. Weasley, as looked at his watch, "You really should be in bed, the whole lot of you - you'll be up at the crack of dawn to get to the Cup. Harry, if you leave your school list out, Molly'll get your things for you tomorrow in Diagon Alley. She's getting everyone else's. There might not be time after the World Cup, the match went on for five days last time."

"Wow - hope it does this time!" said Harry enthusiastically.

"Well, I certainly don't," said Percy sanctimoniously. "I shudder to think what the state of my in-tray would be if I was away from work for five days."

"Yeah, someone might slip dragon dung in it again, eh, Perce?" said Fred.

"That was a sample of fertilizer from Norway!" said Percy, going very red in the face.  
"It was nothing personal!"

"It was," Fred whispered to Harry as they got up from the table. "We sent it."

Betty had barely lain down to sleep in Ginny's room when she was being shaken awake by Mrs. Weasley.

"Time to go, Betty, dear," she whispered, moving away to wake Hermione. The three girls got dressed and headed down, the boys minus Bill, Charlie and Percy were there. They sat down to have breakfast.

"Why do we have to be up so early?" Ginny said, rubbing her eyes and sitting down at the table.

"We've got a bit of a walk." said Mr. Weasley.

"Walk?" said Harry. "What, are we walking to the World Cup?"

"No, no, that's miles away." said Mr. Weasley, smiling.

"We only need to walk a short way. It's just that it's very difficult for a large number of wizards to congregate without attracting Muggle attention. We have to be very careful about how we travel at the best of times, and on a huge occasion like the Quidditch World Cup -"

"George!" said Mrs. Weasley sharply, and they all jumped.

"What?" said George, in an innocent tone that deceived nobody.

"What is that in your pocket?"

"Nothing!"

"Don't you lie to me!"

Mrs. Weasley pointed her wand at George's pocket and said, "Accio!"

Several small, brightly colored objects zoomed out of George's pocket; he made a grab for them but missed, and they sped right into Mrs. Weasley's outstretched hand.

"We told you to destroy them!" said Mrs. Weasley furiously, holding up what were unmistakably more Ton-Tongue Toffees.  
"We told you to get rid of the lot! Empty your pockets, go on, both of you."

It was an unpleasant scene; the twins had evidently been trying to smuggle as many toffees out of the house as possible, and it was only by using her Summoning Charm that Mrs. Weasley managed to find them all.

"Accio! Accio! Accio!" she shouted, and toffees zoomed from all sorts of unlikely places, including the lining of George's jacket and the turn-ups of Fred's jeans.

"We spent six months developing those!" Fred shouted at his mother as she threw the toffees away.

"Oh a fine way to spend six months!" she shrieked. "No wonder you didn't get more O.W.L.s!"

All in all, the atmosphere was not very friendly as they took their departure. Mrs. Weasley was still glowering as she kissed Mr. Weasley on the cheek, though not nearly as much as the twins, who had each hoisted their rucksacks onto their backs and walked out without a word to her.

"Well, have a lovely time," said Mrs. Weasley, "and behave yourselves," she called after the twins' retreating backs, but they did not look back or answer.  
"I'll send Bill, Charlie, and Percy along around midday," Mrs. Weasley said to Mr. Weasley, as he, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Betty and Ginny set off across the dark yard after Fred and George.

It was chilly and the moon was still out. Only a dull, greenish tinge along the horizon to their right showed that daybreak was drawing closer.

"So how does everyone get there without all the Muggles noticing?" Harry asked.

"It's been a massive organizational problem," sighed Mr. Weasley.

"The trouble is, about a hundred thousand wizards turn up at the World Cup, and of course, we just haven't got a magical site big enough to accommodate them all. There are places Muggles can't penetrate, but imagine trying to pack a hundred thousand wizards into Diagon Alley or platform nine and three-quarters. So we had to find a nice deserted moor, and set up as many anti-Muggle precautions as possible. The whole Ministry's been working on it for months. First, of course, we have to stagger the arrivals. People with cheaper tickets have to arrive two weeks beforehand."

"A limited number use Muggle transport, but we can't have too many clogging up their buses and trains - remember, wizards are coming from all over the world. Some Apparate, of course, but we have to set up safe points for them to appear, well away from Muggles. I believe there's a handy wood they're using as the Apparition point. For those who don't want to Apparate, or can't, we use Portkeys. They're objects that are used to transport wizards from one spot to another at a prearranged time.

You can go as a large group at a time if you need to. There have been two hundred Portkeys placed at strategic points around Britain, and the nearest one to us is up at the top of Stoatshead Hill, so that's where we're headed."

Mr. Weasley pointed ahead of them, where a large black mass rose beyond the village of Ottery St. Catchpole.

"What sort of objects are Portkeys?" said Harry curiously.

"Well, they can be anything," said Mr. Weasley. "Unobtrusive things, obviously, so Muggles don't go picking them up and playing with them - stuff they'll just think is litter -"

They trudged down the dark, dank lane toward the village, the silence broken only by their footsteps. The sky lightened very slowly as they made their way through the village, its inky blackness diluting to deepest blue. Mr. Weasley kept checking his watch.

They didn't have breath to spare for talking as they began to climb Stoatshead Hill, stumbling occasionally in hidden rabbit holes, slipping on thick black tuffets of grass.

"Whew," panted Mr. Weasley, taking off his glasses and wiping them on his sweater.  
"Well, we've made good time - we've got ten minutes."

Hermione came over the crest of the hill last, clutching a stitch in her side.

"Now we just need the Portkey," said Mr. Weasley, replacing his glasses and squinting around at the ground. "It won't be big - Come on -"

They spread out, searching. They had only been at it for a couple of minutes, however, when a shout rent the still air.

"Over here, Arthur! Over here, son, we've got it."

Two tall figures were silhouetted against the starry sky on the other side of the hilltop.

"Amos!" said Mr. Weasley, smiling as he strode over to the man who had shouted. The rest of them followed.

Mr. Weasley was shaking hands with a ruddy-faced wizard with a scrubby brown beard, who was holding a moldy-looking old boot in his other hand.

"This is Amos Diggory, everyone," said Mr. Weasley.

"He works for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures and I think you know his son, Cedric?"

Cedric Diggory was an extremely handsome boy of around seventeen. He was Captain and Seeker of the Hufflepuff House Quidditch team at Hogwarts.

Betty never had any form of interaction with him, but she knew from Hermione that Naruto and Cedric knew each other, when the news of Naruto not playing Quidditch last year many players came to talk to Naruto. Cedric was one of them.

"Hi," said Cedric, looking around at them all.

Everybody said hi back except Fred and George, who merely nodded. They had never quite forgiven Cedric for beating their team, Gryffindor, in the first Quidditch match of the previous year.

"Long walk, Arthur?" Cedric's father asked.

"Not too bad." said Mr. Weasley. "We live just on the other side of the village there. You?"

"Had to get up at two, didn't we, Ced? I tell you, I'll be glad when he's got his Apparition test. Still - not complaining - Quidditch World Cup, wouldn't miss it for a sackful of Galleons - and the tickets cost about that. Mind you, looks like I got off easy -" Amos Diggory peered good-naturedly around at the three Weasley boys, Harry, Hermione, Betty and Ginny.

"All these yours, Arthur?"

"Oh no, only the redheads," said Mr. Weasley, pointing out his children.  
"This is Betty, Ginny's friend, Hermione, friend of Ron's - and Harry, another friend -"

"Merlin's beard," said Amos Diggory, his eyes widening. "Harry? Harry Potter?"

"Er - yeah," said Harry.

Harry was used to people looking curiously at him when they met him, used to the way their eyes moved at once to the lightning scar on his forehead, but it always made him feel uncomfortable.

"Ced's talked about you, of course," said Amos Diggory.  
"Told us all about playing against you last year - I said to him, I said - Ced, that'll be something to tell your grandchildren, that will - You beat Harry Potter!"

"Harry fell off his broom, Dad," he muttered.

"I told you - it was an accident."

"Yes, but you didn't fall off, did you?" roared Amos genially, slapping his son on his back.  
"Always modest, our Ced, always the gentleman - but the best man won, I'm sure Harry'd say the same, wouldn't you, eh? One falls off his broom, one stays on, you don't need to be a genius to tell which one's the better flier!"

"Must be nearly time," said Mr. Weasley quickly, pulling out his watch again.  
"Do you know whether we're waiting for any more, Amos?"

"No, the Lovegoods have been there for a week already and the Fawcetts couldn't get tickets," said Mr. Diggory.  
"There aren't any more of us in this area, are there?"

"Not that I know of," said Mr. Weasley.  
"Yes, it's a minute off - We'd better get ready -"

He looked around at Harry, Hermione and Betty.

"You just need to touch the Portkey, that's all, a finger will do -"

With difficulty, owing to their bulky backpacks, the ten of them crowded around the old boot held out by Amos Diggory.

They all stood there, in a tight circle, as a chill breeze swept over the hilltop. Nobody spoke.

"Three -" muttered Mr. Weasley, one eye still on his watch, "two - one -"

It happened immediately: Betty felt as though a hook just behind her navel had been suddenly jerked irresistibly forward. Her feet left the ground; She could feel Ginny and Hermione on either side of her, their shoulders banging into her's; they were all speeding forward in a howl of wind and swirling color; her forefinger was stuck to the boot as though it was pulling him magnetically onward and then.

Her feet slammed into the ground; Hermione staggered into her and they fell over; the Portkey hit the ground near Harry's head with a heavy thud.

She looked up. Mr. Weasley, Mr. Diggory, and Cedric were still standing, though looking very windswept; everybody else was on the ground.

"Seven past five from Stoatshead Hill," said a voice.

* * *

After that they all finally made it to the campsite. Betty and Hermione quickly set up the camps being muggles and travellers, they knew how to and as they were doing so they heard a very familiar voice.

"Finally! I thought you guys wouldn't make it till after my celebration party!"

They turned to see Naruto in black capri, sandals and white hoodie. His band tied on his right arm, Kimoyo Beads around left wrist, The hoodie had Japan's Quidditch team on it. A camera was hanging from his neck.

"Naruto!"  
Mr. Weasley said as he extended his hand for a shake, Naruto obliged and shook his hand, they all greeted each other and Naruto settled down with them.

"So where is your tent son?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"Oh it's a couple lanes back, at the border." Naruto said as he sat beside Fred.

"Border?" Harry asked.

"Oh, fans weren't getting along, this stadium has been the venue since beginning but since the semi's, Ireland vs Japan and USA vs Bulgaria. English folk were so pissed after Ireland was flattened 640-200 that a fight broke out. So, the entire arena was bordered up, so that didn't happen again, I was able to score a location by the border so that I could come and hang out with you guys." Naruto finished.

"That must have been awesome." George said with a snicker.

"You have no..." Naruto.

"Not Awesome." Mr. Weasley completed even though it was clear Naruto wasn't going to say that, Naruto just nodded at the twins and they continued their conversation.

"So have you been to Bulgaria's side?" Ginny asked.

"More like Krum's side. Each camp has his stupid picture on it." Naruto said.

"You must have met with a lot of unique people over the period." Hermione said. She meant in the way as Wizards and Witches from all around the world were attending and he was here from the start, it must have presented with an opportunity for him to meet amazing people. His reply,

"Oh yeah, there is this old chap, roaming around in pink flower print women's gown. A ministry employee has been trying to get him to change for the last week but he hasn't been able to." Naruto said with a snicker, joined by the other guys.

"You are an imbecile." Hermione said in a monotone.

"Must be Archie." Mr. Weasley muttered.

They started to settle, and also started to cook some eggs and sausages. Just then Bill, Charlie and Percy showed up.

"Just Apparated, Dad," said Percy loudly. "Ah, excellent, lunch!"

Naruto stood up to meet the three men.

"Sup Percy I heard you started working in the Department of International Magical Cooperation, Congratulations." Naruto said as he shook Percy's hand.

"Thank you Naruto, See Ron this is how you treat people." Percy said.

Ron just scowled.

"Hello, I am William, you can call me Bill." Bill introduced.

"The eldest, Curse breaker, Ron and Ginny respects you a lot. I am Naruto." Naruto said. As they shook hands.

"Do they now?" Bill said with a smile. The two mentioned children just blushed.

Then Charlie put his hand forward, Naruto grabbed it and as they felt each other's grip and understood that the other was also a magical creature handler.

"Charlie, Dragons." Charlie said.

"Naruto, any and all." He replied with a smile.

Then they all sat down for food and talk,

"If I remember correctly you have to be 17 to participate in Wizarding Schools Potion Championship and you are only 14 and have won already." Bill asked, everyone Naruto had met had the same question for him, even though his special condition was mentioned in the papers.

"It's more like the participants should not have the trace on them, I don't so -" Naruto answered.

They then had to explain to Harry about what he had missed about the Wizarding World, they were halfway through their plates of eggs and sausages when Mr. Weasley jumped to his feet, waving and grinning at a man who was striding towards them. "Aha!" he said.  
"The man of the moment! Ludo!"

He was wearing long Quidditch robes in thick horizontal stripes of bright yellow and black. An enormous picture of a wasp was splashed across his chest.

He had the look of a powerfully built man gone slightly to seed; the robes were stretched tightly across a large belly he surely had not had in the days when he had played Quidditch for England.  
His nose was squashed (probably broken by a stray Bludger, they thought), but his round blue eyes, short blond hair, and rosy complexion made him look like a very overgrown schoolboy.

"Ahoy there!" Bagman called happily. He was walking as though he had springs attached to the balls of his feet and was plainly in a state of wild excitement.

"Arthur, old man," he puffed as he reached the campfire, "what a day, eh? What a day! Could we have asked for more perfect weather? A cloudless night coming - and hardly a hiccough in the arrangements - Not much for me to do!"

Behind him, a group of haggard looking Ministry wizards rushed past, pointing at the distant evidence of some sort of a magical fire that was sending violet sparks twenty feet into the air.

Percy hurried forward with his hand outstretched. Apparently his disapproval of the way Ludo Bagman ran his department did not prevent him from wanting to make a good impression.

"Ah - yes," said Mr. Weasley, grinning, "this is my son Percy. He's just started at the Ministry - and this is Fred - no, George, sorry - that's Fred - Bill, Charlie, Ron - my daughter, Ginny and her friend Elizabeth Cooper and Ron's friends, Hermione Granger, Harry Potter and Naruto Namikaze."

Bagman did the smallest of double takes when he heard Harry's name, and his eyes performed the familiar flick upward to the scar on Harry's forehead but he smirked at Naruto.

"You are still banned!" Ludo said.

"Of course I am, win the pot 3 times in a row and people think you are a seer, the nerve." Naruto said with a smirk.

"You both already know each other?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"Yeah, he's a cheater." Ludo tried saying in monotone but a smile broke through.

"I'm not a cheater, you are too damn excited with everything to study the play and the rest are just not smart enough, so I win." Naruto said, his smirk still present. He turned to Fred and whispered something in his ears.

"Fancy a flutter on the match, Arthur?" he said eagerly, jingling what seemed to be a large amount of gold in the pockets of his yellow-and-black robes.

"I've already got Roddy Pontner betting me Bulgaria will score first - I offered him nice odds, considering Japan's front three are the strongest I've seen in years - and little Agatha Timms has put up half shares in her eel farm on a weeklong match."

"Oh - go on then," said Mr. Weasley. "Let's see - a Galleon on Japan to win?"

"A Galleon?" Ludo Bagman looked slightly disappointed, but recovered himself. "Very well, very well - any other takers?"

"They're a bit young to be gambling," said Mr. Weasley. "Molly wouldn't like -"

Fred and George smiled at Naruto, then he passed them 10 gallons.

"We'll bet forty-seven Galleons, fifteen Sickles, three Knuts," said Fred as he and George quickly pooled all their money and added it to the money Naruto gave them, "that Japan wins - but Viktor Krum gets the Snitch. Oh and we'll throw in a fake wand."

"You don't want to go showing Mr. Bagman rubbish like that," Percy hissed, but Bagman didn't seem to think the wand was rubbish at all; on the contrary, his boyish face shone with excitement as he took it from Fred, and when the wand gave a loud squawk and turned into a rubber chicken, Bagman roared with laughter.

"Excellent! I haven't seen one that convincing in years! I'd pay five Galleons for that!"

Percy froze in an attitude of stunned disapproval.

"Boys," said Mr. Weasley under his breath, "I don't want you betting - That's all your savings - Your mother -"

"Don't be a spoilsport, Arthur!" boomed Ludo Bagman, rattling his pockets excitedly, he gave Naruto a look with a smile on his face, but Naruto just raised his hands in defence.

"They're old enough to know what they want! You reckon Japan will win but Krum'll get the Snitch? Not a chance, boys, not a chance... I'll give you excellent odds on that one ... We'll add five Galleons for the funny wand, then, shall we..."

Mr. Weasley looked on helplessly as Ludo Bagman whipped out a notebook and quill and began jotting down the twins' names.

"Cheers," said George, taking the slip of parchment Bagman handed him and tucking it away into the front of his robes. Bagman turned most cheerfully back to Mr. Weasley.

The Twins turned to Naruto.

"Are you sure?" Fred asked.

"1000% no matter how much of an idiot he is, Krum is always the one that gets the snitch. In all the matches, Japan's seeker is an amateur idiot in front of Krum but the rest of the team, iron formations, no breaks, no loose ends, if I am wrong I'll pay you back, I've already won 200 Galleons, 67 Sickles and 26 Knuts." Naruto whispered.

"Couldn't do me a brew, I suppose? I'm keeping an eye out for Barty Crouch. My Bulgarian opposite number's making difficulties, and I can't understand a word he's saying. Barty'll be able to sort it out. He speaks about a hundred and fifty languages."

"Mr. Crouch?" said Percy, suddenly abandoning his look of poker-stiff disapproval and positively writhing with excitement. "He speaks over two hundred! Mermish and Gobbledegook and Troll."

"Don't start confessing your love right now, at least make him hear you." Naruto said, everybody shared a good laugh, which was increased by Fred's comment.

"Anyone can speak Troll," said Fred dismissively. "All you have to do is point and grunt."

Percy threw Fred and Naruto an extremely nasty look and stoked the fire vigorously to bring the kettle back to the boil.

"Any news of Bertha Jorkins yet, Ludo?" Mr. Weasley asked as Bagman settled himself down on the grass beside them all.

"Not a dicky bird," said Bagman comfortably. "But she'll turn up. Poor old Bertha - memory like a leaky cauldron and no sense of direction. Lost, you take my word for it. She'll wander back into the office sometime in October, thinking it's still July."

"You don't think it might be time to send someone to look for her?" Mr. Weasley suggested tentatively as Percy handed Bagman his tea.

"Barty Crouch keeps saying that," said Bagman, his round eyes widening innocently, "but we really can't spare anyone at the moment. Oh - talk of the devil! Barty!"

A wizard had just Apparated at their fireside, and he could not have made more of a contrast with Ludo Bagman, sprawled on the grass in his old Wasp robes. Barty Crouch was a stiff, upright, elderly man, dressed in an impeccably crisp suit and tie.

The parting in his short gray hair was almost unnaturally straight, and his narrow toothbrush mustache looked as though he trimmed it using a slide rule. His shoes were very highly polished. As soon Naruto spotted Barty he quickly jumped behind Charlie and George, hidden from Barty's vision.

"Pull up a bit of grass, Barry," said Ludo brightly, patting the ground beside him.

"No thank you, Ludo," said Crouch, and there was a bit of impatience in his voice.

"I've been looking for you everywhere. The Bulgarians are insisting we add another twelve seats to the Top Box."

"Oh is that what they're after?" said Bagman. "I thought the chap was asking to borrow a pair of tweezers. Bit of a strong accent."

"Mr. Crouch!" said Percy breathlessly, sunk into a kind of half bow that made him look like a hunchback. "Would you like a cup of tea?"

"Oh," said Mr. Crouch, looking over at Percy in mild surprise. "Yes - thank you, Weatherby."

Fred and George choked into their own cups. while Naruto let a laugh out. Percy, very pink around the ears, busied himself with the kettle.

"I know that laugh anywhere, Naruto!" Barty barked.

"He's not here." Naruto said from behind the two boys, he had thought his voice would be mixed among others but he failed

"Get out from behind the boys, you are banned here." Barty said.

"Banned!?" All said at the same time, even Ludo.

"Yes, banned. Don't you know about the fight that led to implementation of borders." Barty said as Naruto walked out from behind the boys.

"He told us about it." Mr. Weasley said.

"Well, I know he must have failed to mention it was him that fanned the fumes to turn it into a full blown fight. Hence banned from gathering with supporters of rival team." Barty said.

"All I did was agree with a bunch of joy drunk and pissed drunk gentlemen at the same time, might have spilled someone's drink on someone else but I did not fan any fumes sir." Naruto said in mock hurt. The others started to laugh, apart from Percy and Barty they were looking at him in anger.

"Go back to your camp Naruto, You might be bright and smart but things often escalate into chaos around you, faster then it can be contained." Barty said as he watched Naruto walk away, but before Naruto did, He shouted.

"I am a believer and preacher of free spirit sir and this is one of the greatest events in history, if we don't celebrate and let our true selves out now, we are betraying life itself, so I will always preach freedom, in my own chaotic way if I have to, after all, no strings on me." With that he walked away, while people started cheering in agreement of his parting words.

Betty could only facepalm, She wanted to ask him out this year and she didn't even speak in front of him yet.

* * *

They all went back to their actions and finally before the match, they bought merchandise of the teams they were supporting, Percy, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were supporting Bulgaria and Fred, George, Bill, Charlie and Betty were supporting Japan. They were all in the best seats.

Betty looked over her shoulder to see who else was sharing the box with them. So far it was empty, except for a tiny creature sitting in the second from last seat at the end of the row behind them.

The creature, whose legs were so short they stuck out in front of it on the chair, was wearing a tea towel draped like a toga, and it had its face hidden in its hands.  
Suddenly a voice spoke from beside Betty.

"Dobby?" said Harry incredulously.

The tiny creature looked up and stretched its fingers, revealing enormous brown eyes and a nose the exact size and shape of a large tomato. It wasn't Dobby - it was, however, unmistakably a house-elf.

"Did sir just call me Dobby?" squeaked the elf curiously from between its fingers.

Its voice was higher even than Dobby's had been, a teeny, quivering squeak of a voice, and Harry suspected though it was very hard to tell with a house-elf, that this one might just be female.  
Ron and Hermione spun around in their seats to look. Though they had heard a lot about Dobby from Harry, they had never actually met him. Even Mr. Weasley looked around in interest.

"Sorry," Harry told the elf, "I just thought you were someone I knew."

"But I knows Dobby too, sir!" squeaked the elf. She was shielding her face, as though blinded by light, though the Top Box was not brightly lit.

"My name is Winky, sir - and you, sir -" Her dark brown eyes widened to the size of side plates as they rested upon Harry's scar. "You is surely Harry Potter!"

"Yeah, I am," said Harry.

"But Dobby talks of you all the time, sir!" she said, lowering her hands very slightly and looking awestruck.

"How is he?" said Harry. "How's freedom suiting him?"

"Ah, sir," said Winky, shaking her head, "ah sir, meaning no disrespect, sir, but I is not sure you did Dobby a favor, sir, when you is setting him free."

"Why?" said Harry, taken aback. "What's wrong with him?"

"Freedom is going to Dobby's head, sir, " said Winky sadly. "Ideas above his station, sir. Can't get another position, sir."

"Why not?" said Harry.

Winky lowered her voice by a half-octave and whispered, "He is wanting paying for his work, sir."

"Paying?" said Harry blankly. "Well - why shouldn't he be paid?"

Winky looked quite horrified at the idea and closed her fingers slightly so that her face was half-hidden again.

"House-elves is not paid, sir!" she said in a muffled squeak.

"No, no, no. I says to Dobby, I says, go find yourself a nice family and settle down, Dobby. He is getting up to all sorts of high jinks, sir, what is unbecoming to a house-elf. You goes racketing around like this, Dobby, I says, and next thing I hear you's up in front of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, like some common goblin."

"Well, it's about time he had a bit of fun," said Harry.

"House-elves is not supposed to have fun, Harry Potter," said Winky firmly, from behind her hands. "House-elves does what they is told. I is not liking heights at all, Harry Potter" - she glanced toward the edge of the box and gulped - "but my master sends me to the Top Box and I comes, sir."

"Why's he sent you up here, if he knows you don't like heights?" said Harry, frowning.

"Master - master wants me to save him a seat, Harry Potter. He is very busy," said Winky, tilting her head toward the empty space beside her.  
"Winky is wishing she is back in master's tent, Harry Potter, but Winky does what she is told. Winky is a good house-elf."

She gave the edge of the box another frightened look and hid her eyes completely again. Harry turned back to the others.

"So that's a house-elf?" Ron muttered. "Weird things, aren't they?"

"Dobby was weirder," said Harry fervently.

Ron pulled out his Omnioculars and started testing them, staring down into the crowd on the other side of the stadium. He looked around more to see.

"There he is!" Ron said.

"Who?" Hermione.

"Naruto, of course, directly opposite to us. Among -" Ron was saying then he started to laugh.

"Among what?" Betty asked with an edge in her voice.

"Among 50 Bulgarian supporters, all alone. Just to mess with their minds." Ron said, they all shared a laugh. The box filled gradually around them over the next half hour. Mr. Weasley kept shaking hands with people who were obviously very important wizards. Percy jumped to his feet so often that he looked as though he were trying to sit on a hedgehog.

Then they heard a familiar voice from behind them.

"Oh I am glad to see all of you here." They turned to see Kushina, she was accompanied by Fudge and two other. Secretary to each. Kushina greeted everyone she knew, She had heard so much about the three eldest sons of Molly that she greeted all of them with great smiles, Fudge greeted them the same way, but not before asking.

"Madam, do you know Arthur and his family personally?" He asked Kushina.

"Of course his children are friends with my son." She told him, he just released a 'ohh', some knew that Kushina was the mother of Mito, Erza and Naruto, most thought all four were just part of the same powerful Wizarding family, the Uzumaki.

So, that is where the surprise came. They were also joined by Bulgarian Minister, all three sat down in their seats. Hermione was next to Kushina. So, Kushina asked Hermione.

"I only arrived half an hour ago, did you see Naruto anywhere?"

"Yeah, we ran into him before the match but he had to leave for 'some' reason and his seats are different, Ron says he's directly opposite to us." She whispered.

They were joined by Lucius, Draco and Narcissa Malfoy, followed closely behind by Delphini she was dressed in a beautiful white and yellow sundress, while Lucius and Arthur, kids and Draco gave each other nasty look, Delphi spoke.

"Hey guys, it's nice to see you here."

They all could only mutter a 'yeah', 'you too' but didn't speak. Kushina was surprised by this but she recognised this girl. She was added to the photograph that followed Naruto after his first year, left for a while then returned. Her's was the only one that did that. Since she was part of that photograph, Kushina knew she was Naruto's friend so she chose to greet her.

"I know you, you are one of Naruto's friends. He told me your name is Delphini right?"

Delphini was taken back by this.

"Why did Naruto tell you about me?" Delphini asked, as polite as she could be.

"Oh, of course, where are my manners, I am Kushina Uzumaki, Naruto is my son." Kushina whispered to her, Naruto wanted his family in his life, not their lives. She will always respect that.

"Oh -what? - I mean pleasure to meet you." She said as she moved further than the rest to sit away.

Next moment, Ludo Bagman charged into the box.

"Everyone ready?" he said, his round face gleaming like a great, excited Edam. "Minister - ready to go?"

"Ready when you are, Ludo," said Fudge comfortably.

Ludo whipped out his wand, directed it at his own throat, and said "Sonorus!" and then spoke over the roar of sound that was now filling the packed stadium; his voice echoed over them, booming into every corner of the stands.

"Ladies and gentlemen - welcome! Welcome to the final of the four hundred and twenty-second Quidditch World Cup!"

The spectators screamed and clapped. Thousands of flags waved, adding their discordant national anthems to the racket.T

The huge blackboard opposite them was wiped clear of its last message (Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans - A Risk With Every Mouthful!) and now showed BULGARIA: 0, JAPAN: 0.

"And now, without further ado, allow me to introduce - the Bulgarian National Team Mascots!"

The right-hand side of the stands, which was a solid block of scarlet, roared its approval.

"I wonder what they've brought," said Mr. Weasley, leaning forward in his seat. "Aaah!" He suddenly whipped off his glasses and polished them hurriedly on his robes. "Veela!"

"What are Veel -?"

But a hundred veela were now gliding out onto the field, and Harry's question was answered for him. Veela were women - the most beautiful women they had ever seen - except that they weren't - they couldn't be - human. All tried to guess what exactly they could be; what could make their skin shine moon-bright like that, or their white-gold hair fan out behind them without wind - but then the music started.

They started there dancing and the entire field was stuck in their bodies for everyone wanted to dance with them but at the same time the slightest moment felt like they would miss out on the best thing in the world. The ones that chose Bulgaria smirked at the ones supporting Japan.

"Don't get cocky, You'll eat that smile when Japan's done." Fred said.

"And now," roared Ludo Bagman's voice, "kindly put your wands in the air - for the Japanese National Team Mascots!"

The weather around the stadium started changing, once hot breezes turned to gentle cold winds. The clear starry sky was filled with clouds and then a thunderclap.The ones on Japan's side all shouted in approval, the ones on Bulgaria's side were filled with fear.

One thunderclap turned many and then a roar, a big blue jaw peaked out of clouds and then it was followed by a dragon's head but instead of a dragon's body it had Snake like body with short limbs, it's entire body a brilliant blue and white, it's size covered the sky above the entire stadium.

"What is?" Harry was muttering in fear while Mr. Weasley who was next to him had an amazing bright smile.

"That is a Wani."

It gave one last mighty roar before it vanished in a white flash of light. Harry and other Bulgarian supporters slowly recovered from the fright they felt.

"It's roar increases and induce emotions of fear in his enemy's, hope and joy in friend's." Kushina said with a smirk.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, kindly welcome - the Bulgarian National Quidditch Team! I give you - Dimitrov!"

A scarlet-clad figure on a broomstick, moving so fast it was blurred, shot out onto the field from an entrance far below, to wild applause from the Bulgarian supporters.

"Ivanova!"

A second scarlet-robed player zoomed out.

"Zograf! Levski! Vulchanov! Volkov! Aaaaaaand - Krum!"

"That's him, that's him!" yelled Ron, following Krum with his Omnioculars. Harry quickly focused his own.

Viktor Krum was thin, dark, and sallow-skinned, with a large curved nose and thick black eyebrows. He looked like an overgrown bird of prey. It was hard to believe he was only eighteen.

"And now, please greet - the Japanese National Quidditch Team!" yelled Bagman.

As he said that, from about the location Naruto stood two sticks appeared and separated to show a banner with entire national team's symbol on it. It was so big that it was clearly visible from throughout the stadium, Naruto was also on the top box, so he wasn't distributing anyone's view.

"-Sato, Suzuki, Hirakata, Takahashi, Tamotsu, Watanabe Aaaannd Uzumaki."

As he said the players name they flew through the Banner together, as they did, it turned from white to multiple coloured confetti. The team in perfect sync flew around the field, Flying in order as their names were called. As they did, the banner was changed to the one that showed first each player with their nicknames, there stunts, team mascot, Team symbol and then it turned to show Erza scoring.

* * *

It was Quidditch as none had seen before, they were all on the edges of their seats the game at the level none had ever seen it played before. Harry was pressing his Omnioculars so hard to his glasses that they were cutting into the bridge of his nose.

The speed of the players was incredible - the Chasers were throwing the Quaffle to one another so fast that Bagman only had time to say their names.

"HAWKSHEAD ATTACKING FORMATION," Erza's voice came.

As they watched the three Japanese Chasers zoom closely together, Erza in the center, slightly ahead of Sato and Suzuki, bearing down upon the Bulgarians. PORSKOFF PLOY flashed up next, as Erza made as though to dart upward with the Quaffle, drawing away the Bulgarian Chaser Ivanova and dropping the Quaffle to Suzuki.

One of the Bulgarian Beaters, Volkov, swung hard at a passing Bludger with his small club, knocking it into Suzuki's path; Suzuki ducked to avoid the Bludger and dropped the Quaffle; and Levski, soaring beneath, caught it but he tried to pass it to another chaser but out of nowhere Erza came spinning in, she caught the Quaffle not slowing down threw it with all her power - "ERZA SCORES!" roared Bagman, and the stadium shuddered with a roar of applause and cheers. "Ten zero to Japan!"

"What?" Harry yelled, looking wildly around through his Omnioculars. "But Levski's got the Quaffle!"

"Harry, if you're not going to watch at normal speed, you're going to miss things!" shouted Hermione, who was dancing up and down, waving her arms in the air while Erza did a lap of honor around the field. Naruto's banner replayed the last move, to show the amazing throw.

Anybody who knew enough about Quidditch would say that the Japanese Chasers were superb.

They worked as a seamless team, their movements so well coordinated that they appeared to be reading one another's minds as they positioned themselves, and the rosette on Betty's chest kept squeaking their names: "Erza - Sato - Suzuki!" Much to Ron and Harry's joined annoyance.

Within ten minutes, Japan had scored twice more, bringing their lead to thirty-zero and causing a thunderous tide of roars and applause from the green- clad supporters. Each score was replayed on the Banner for the supporters to once again cheer in delight.

The match became still faster, but more brutal. Volkov and Vulchanov, the Bulgarian Beaters, were whacking the Bludgers as fiercely as possible at the Japanese chasers, and were starting to prevent them from using some of their best moves; twice they were forced to scatter, and then, finally, Ivanova managed to break through their ranks; dodge the Keeper, Watanabe; and score Bulgaria's first goal.

Harry had gone curious as to how Naruto's banner worked, he looked for him and saw that Naruto also had a Omniocular, it was linked to a stick next to Naruto with a paper with some words on it and he figured it out, Naruto was tracking the entire game and recording and replaying the plays that he wanted, he most probably understood them because of watching these games for more than a month now.

"Dimitrov! Levski! Dimitrov! Ivanova - oh I say!" roared Bagman.

One hundred thousand wizards gasped as the two Seekers, Krum and Tomatsu, plummeted through the center of the Chasers, so fast that it looked as though they had just jumped from airplanes without parachutes. Everybody followed their descent through there Omnioculars or through Naruto's banner squinting to see where the Snitch was -

"They're going to crash!" screamed Hermione next to Harry.

She was half right - at the very last second, Viktor Krum pulled out of the dive and spiraled off. Tomatsu, however, hit the ground with a dull thud that could be heard throughout the stadium. A huge groan rose from the Japanese seats.

"Fool!" moaned Mr. Weasley. "Krum was feinting!"

"It's time-out!" yelled Bagman's voice, "As trained mediwizards hurry onto the field to examine Tomatsu!"

"He'll be okay, he only got ploughed!" Charlie said reassuringly to Ginny, who was hanging over the side of the box, looking horror-struck. "Which is what Krum was after, of course -"

Tomatsu got to his feet at last, to loud cheers from the green-clad supporters, mounted his Firebolt, and kicked back off into the air. Erza spoke or from the looks of it scolded him, but then patted him to fly, his revival seemed to give Japan a new heart. When the Referee blew his whistle again, the Chasers moved into action with a skill unrivaled by anything anyone had seen so far.

After fifteen more fast and furious minutes, Japan had pulled ahead by ten more goals. They were now leading by one hundred and thirty points to ten, and the game was starting to get dirtier.

As Suzuki shot toward the goal posts yet again, clutching the Quaffle tightly under his arm, the Bulgarian Keeper, Zograf, flew out to meet him. Whatever happened was over so quickly many didn't catch it, but a scream of rage from the Japanese crowd, and Mostafa's long, shrill whistle blast, told everyone it was a foul.

Many turned to Naruto's banner, which showed how, as Suzuki was moving a little out of Zograf's path, he shoved his elbow out and it hit Suzuki in the ribs, hurting him some but completely making him lose his balance.

"And Mostafa takes the Bulgarian Keeper to task for cobbing - excessive use of elbows!" Bagman informed the roaring spectators. "And - yes, it's a penalty to Japan!"

The match now reached a level of ferocity beyond anything they had yet seen. The Beaters on both sides were acting without mercy: Volkov and Vulchanov in particular seemed not to care whether their clubs made contact with Bludger or human as they swung them violently through the air. Dimitrov shot straight at Erza, who had the Quaffle, nearly knocking her off her broom.

"Foul!" roared the Japan supporters as one, all standing up in a great wave of green.

"Foul!" echoed Ludo Bagman's magically magnified voice. "Dimitrov tries to skin Erza, deliberately flying to collide there - and it's got to be another penalty - yes, there's the whistle!"

"Levski - Dimitrov - Erza - Sato - Suzuki- Ivanova - Erza again - Erza - ERZA SCORES!"

The game recommenced immediately; now Levski had the Quaffle, now Dimitrov -

The Japanese Beater Hirakata swung heavily, she hit a passing Bludger, and hit it as hard as she possibly could toward Krum, who did not duck quickly enough. It hit him full in the face.

There was a deafening groan from the crowd; Krum's nose looked broken, there was blood everywhere, but Hassan Mostafa, the referee didn't blow his whistle. He had become distracted,

"Time-out! Ah, come on, he can't play like that, look at him -" Ron was muttering.

"Look at Tomatsu!" Harry yelled.

For the Japanese Seeker had suddenly gone into a dive, and Harry was quite sure that this was no Wronski Feint; this was the real thing.

"He's seen the Snitch!" Harry shouted. "He's seen it! Look at him go!"

Half the crowd seemed to have realized what was happening; the Japanese supporters rose in another great wave of green, screaming their Seeker on - but Krum was on his tail. How he could see where he was going, Harry had no idea; there were flecks of blood flying through the air behind him, but he was drawing level with Tomatsu now as the pair of them hurtled toward the ground again -

"They're going to crash!" shrieked Hermione.

"They're not!" roared Ron.

"Tomatsu is!" yelled Harry.

And he was right - for the second time, Tomatsu hit the ground with tremendous force.

"The Snitch, where's the Snitch?" bellowed Charlie, along the row. "He's got it - Krum's got it - it's all over!" shouted Harry.

Krum, his red robes shining with blood from his nose, was rising gently into the air, his fist held high, a glint of gold in his hand.

The scoreboard was flashing BULGARIA: 160, JAPAN: 170 across the crowd, who didn't seem to have realized what had happened. Then, slowly, as though a great jumbo jet were revving up, the rumbling from the Japan's supporters grew louder and louder and erupted into screams of delight.

"JAPAN WINS!" Bagman shouted, who like the Japanese, seemed to be taken aback by the sudden end of the match.

"KRUM GETS THE SNITCH - BUT JAPAN WINS - good lord, I don't think any of us were expecting that!"

"What did he catch the Snitch for?" Ron bellowed, as he jumped up and down, his anger at his team losing the match clearly visible. "He ended it when Japan were a hundred and sixty points ahead, the idiot!"

"He knew they were never going to catch up!" Harry shouted back over all the noise. "The Japanese Chasers were too good - He wanted to -"

"End it on his terms, that's all." Kushina completed as she was applauding her daughter and her team.

The Banner could just make out Krum, surrounded by mediwizards. He looked surlier than ever and refused to let them mop him up. His team members were around him, shaking their heads and looking dejected; a short way away, the Japanese players were dancing gleefully, there mascot reappeared and started a mild snowfall over the stadium. Flags were waving all over the stadium, the Japanese national anthem blared from all sides.

The last thing the Banner did was show the players, starting from the seeker, then beater, keeper, then chasers, last it showed Erza. Then it changed into National mascot, it ended on National team symbol with the words.

WINNER 422nd QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP!

Then it went blank and shrunk back into a stick, Hermione and the others that were looking at the Banner saw that Naruto started a chant, and as the chant took over he vanished into the crowd.

But there attention was taken over by the announcement.

"Vell, ve fought bravely," said a gloomy voice behind Harry. He looked around; it was the Bulgarian Minister of Magic.

"They really did." Kushina said, she had a kind smile on her face. As she shook Bulgarian minister's hand.

"You can speak English!" said Fudge, He didn't see the bigger picture sounding outraged. "And you've been letting me mime everything all day!"

"Veil, it vos very funny," said the Bulgarian minister, shrugging.

"And as the Japanese team performs a lap of honor, flanked by their mascot, the Quidditch World Cup itself is brought into the Top Box!" roared Bagman.

The Top Box was magically illuminated so that everyone in the stands could see the inside. Squinting toward the entrance, he saw two panting wizards carrying a vast golden cup into the box, which they handed to Cornelius Fudge, who was still looking very disgruntled that he'd been using sign language all day for nothing.

"Let's have a really loud hand for the gallant losers - Bulgaria!" Bagman shouted.

Up the stairs into the box came the seven defeated Bulgarian players. The crowd below was applauding appreciatively; As thousands and thousands of Omniocular lenses flashing and winking in their direction.

One by one, the Bulgarians filed between the rows of seats in the box, and Bagman called out the name of each as they shook hands with their own minister, Kushina's and then with Fudge. Krum, who was last in line, looked a real mess.  
Two black eyes were blooming spectacularly on his bloody face. He was still holding the Snitch. Harry noticed that he seemed much less coordinated on the ground. He was slightly duck-footed and distinctly round-shouldered. But when Krum's name was announced, the whole stadium gave him a resounding, earsplitting roar.

Then came the Japanese team. Tomatsu was being supported by Suzuki and Sato; the second crash seemed to have dazed him and his eyes looked strangely unfocused but he grinned happily as Erza lifted the Cup into the air and the crowd below thundered its approval.

Kushina was looking at her daughter with pride. She wanted to hug her but couldn't, not in front of everyone.

At last, when the Japanese team had left the box to perform another lap of honor on their brooms, Bagman pointed his wand at his throat and muttered, "Quietus."

"They'll be talking about this one for years," he said hoarsely, "a really unexpected twist, that -shame it couldn't have lasted longer - Ah yes - yes, I owe you - how much?"

For Fred and George had just scrambled over the backs of their seats and were standing in front of Ludo Bagman with broad grins on their faces, their hands outstretched.


	48. Book 4 Chapter 5: The Bird Descends

Betty was returning with the rest of the group towards the camp when suddenly Naruto appeared out of nowhere.

"Mr. Weasley, the list -!" he exclaimed.

Everybody looked at Mr. Weasley and Naruto awkwardly but Mr. Weasley instantly perked up.

"What about them?" He asked.

"They are all missing, all 8 of them." Naruto said, Mr. Weasley's eyes widened.

"That's not good." He said.

"I have a couple of 'eyes' looking for them but I thought I'll warn you before I proceeded with anything." He told them as he turned to the others, he looked Betty in the eyes and said,

"Watch out ok, I have to go."  
With that Naruto vanished into the crowd, without another word.

"The List? Dad." Bill asked.

"I'll tell you about it later. For now let's just head back."

As the rest went back to their camps, Naruto on the other hand after making sure he was a good distance away from any ministry employee, he disapperated.

He appeared a moment later at the back of a fancy looking tent, he slowly walked to it's front and waited, soon the ones he was waiting for appeared. He waved at them and said.

"Mi-nee and friends, I hope you all enjoyed the match."

Mito and her scientist friends had arrived at the match an hour earlier than the Weasley's, Naruto had met up with all of them but had let them be when he went to look for others, at the moment he was here to give Mito something.

"Sup, Naru. What can we do for you." An African-American girl said, Since Mito always called him Naru, they also picked up on it.

"Nothing, I just needed to give all of you this." He took out a set of photos and handed them to the girl, these were beautiful photos of the group cheering and celebrating.

"Wow! These are amazing. You clicked them?" Another girl from the group asked.

"Yeah I did, I bought an entire photography set from this dude, actually he was broke so I gave him some money I won but he didn't want a favour over his head so he gave this to me." Naruto replied, "But that's not all Mi-nee, I won't be able to reach the team and Maa, so -" he handed her a couple of rolls, "these are Maa's and the team's photos and videos throughout the finals, I was hoping you could pass this to them, and this -"  
He took out a stick that contained the banner, and handed that to Mito as well while saying.

"Thanks you guys for sending me the specs for this. Anyways, see you guys later." Mito nodded as she took everything from him, they hugged and kissed each other's cheek and Naruto just disappeared from her grip.

"If only he was older -" an American friend of Mito's was saying.

"Shut up." Mito shot instantly.

* * *

After celebrating with a group of friends he had made during the games, Naruto smelling like butter beer came back to his small orange tent, he pulled his wand out and waved in front of the tent and then entered.

The entire tent was filled with random stuff, his books, his briefcase laid open and barrels of creature friendly drinks lying on one side, he peeked into the bag and shouted.

"You guys had fun? I hope the live feed worked."

Many kinds of happy noises came from the briefcase.

"I am trying to sleep here.." noises "oh, ok... yeah Naruto we had fun, I don't remember a lot of it cause the drinks you made were delicious but these kids had some fun."

After hearing Kurama's answer he just face palmed and asked the others.

"She's drunk, isn't she?" A roar of approval.

"Nimi.. can you handle stuff or should I come in?" Another roar.

"Alright, just remember, the orange tree is the way to call me - now you all go to sleep as well."  
Naruto said as he waved his wand around the tent, the stuff lying around floated and went into the briefcase or his sling bag, his bag flew towards him and after everything was packed in either the case or the bag, the case shrank.

He picked it up and placed it into his bag and exited the tent since he had to leave tonight, He needed to buy some stuff at Diagon Alley the next day. Just as he was about to exit he heard screams outside.

"I knew it." He muttered as he tightened his bag, from his side it went to his back as he pulled out his wand and stepped outside, just as he did he had to put up a shield as a magic shot came at his face.

Naruto kept his wand up, but another attack did not come, He spotted some wizards dressed in black robes and long hats, with mask on. He focused to see they were not White Porcelain mask, they were skull mask. He noticed tents on fire and people trying to escape but stuck to things, so instead of fighting these men, he chose to help those he could.

He was helping a girl up and passed her to her father, when he put up a defence instinctively, and it was a good thing because a green fireball was dodged by him, He turned to the source and saw a very well developed woman.

She was maybe an inch shorter than him, dressed in a black dress and boots. She had a peacock feather coat and her black hair were tied in a ponytail which reached her waist, she had a silver owl themed masquerade mask, which only showed her mouth and eyes, She had beautiful blue eyes, the eyes seemed familiar to him but he could not pick up anything else on her.

"You are good." Her voice was magically hindered.

"Well thank you, but if that was a job interview, I must say, I am not interested." Naruto replied, he felt a man sneaking up to him from his left, so he fired a wordless purple shot in the man's direction, there was a shout of pain and then silence.

"Interview?" The woman continued without second thought to who he had hit, "I know what you are capable of Naruto, I was just in the mood to see you."

"Oh wonderful it's nice to be included." Naruto was about to fire a shot but her coat covered her in an instant and she just vanished.

"What the fuck?" Naruto was left muttering. She did not apparate, he knew the signs of apparation, She just vanished into thin air, nobody could do that.

After that Naruto quickly ran towards where his friends might be, one thing he didn't have to ever do was to be worried about his family's safety,

In his eyes if he was 10, Mito was 80, Erza was 120 and his mother was 200. He really needed to watch out for his friends because they couldn't use offensive magic like he could, so he sprinted towards Weasley camp.

They were not there and that was not a surprise, he was just looking for the path they might have taken to the woods, As he was walking on their supposedly path he spotted something peculiar on the floor.

"Oh shit, Harry," It was Harry's wand.  
Now that he had an anchor he could apparate to at least his location so without a word he disapparated.

He appeared in a small clearing to see Ron, Harry and Hermione sitting and watching a small Krum figurine.

"I hope the others are okay," said Hermione.

"They'll be fine," said Ron.

"Yeah, they will be." Naruto said as he finally made his presence known. Hermione instantly got up to hug him.

"Oh God! You are alright!" She said.

"Of course I am." He said with a smile as he hugged her, they finally let go and Naruto threw Harry's wand to him.

"Losing that, in wizarding world is just suicidal mate."

"Oh thank god! where did you find it?" Harry asked.

"Near the campsite, your tent is fine, but I didn't see anyone there." Naruto said as he looked around.

"It's alright." Ron said.

Hermione was about to say something but Naruto covered her mouth, he made a stay silent motion with his fingers to others than pointed to his ears, they heard it, it sounded as though someone was staggering toward their clearing. They waited, listening to the sounds of the uneven steps behind the dark trees but the footsteps came to a sudden halt.

"Hello?" called Harry.

Naruto instantly moved towards where the sounds came but before he could even enter the treeline, They heard.

"MORSMORDRE!"

"FUCK!" Naruto shouted as he ran faster into the woods. Out of the other three's vision.

Then something vast, green, and glittering erupted from the patch of darkness Their eyes had been struggling to penetrate; it flew up over the treetops and into the sky.

"What the - ?" gasped Ron as he sprang to his feet again, staring up at the thing that had appeared.

For a split second, Harry thought it was another leprechaun formation. Then he realized that it was a colossal skull, comprised of what looked like emerald stars, with a serpent protruding from its mouth like a tongue. As they watched, it rose higher and higher, blazing in a haze of greenish smoke, etched against the black sky like a new constellation.

Suddenly, the wood all around them erupted with screams. Harry didn't understand why, but the only possible cause was the sudden appearance of the skull, which had now risen high enough to illuminate the entire wood like some grisly neon sign. He scanned the darkness for the person who had conjured the skull, but he couldn't see anyone. Then Naruto came running. He spotted them and shouted.

"WHAT ARE YOU IDIOTS DOING STANDING AROUND? RUN!" He quickly grabbed Hermione's hand and moved Ron in the direction of their sprint, Hermione grabbed Harry's collar.

"What's the matter?" Harry said, startled to see her face so white and terrified. He was even frightened to see the ever calm and collected Naruto's face in such worry.

"It's the Dark Mark, Harry!" Hermione moaned, pulling him as hard as she could while keeping up with Naruto who had her hand in an iron grip, While he was looking back at Ron and Harry.

"You-Know-Who's sign!" Ron.

"Voldemort's -"

"Harry, come on!" Naruto.

However before they could clear away, a series of popping noises announced the arrival of twenty wizards, appearing from thin air, surrounding them.

Naruto thought quickly and pulled Hermione near him and pushed her down, turned to grab Harry and Ron pulling them as well, while taking Harry's hand, his wand in the hand that Naruto grabbed, he quickly cast a shield around them and it was just in time as all twenty wizards shouted.

"STUPEFY!" roared twenty voices - there was a blinding series of flashes. Red and blue colliding, Naruto shield was completely destroyed, but luckily he didn't have to do anything more as two voices came.

"Stop! That's my Son!" "That's my Godson you idiots!"

Harry and the others looked up to see Mr. Weasley and Sirius walk into the field. They let out breathes they were holding when they saw Naruto with them.

"Out of the way, Arthur, Black." said a cold, curt voice.

It was Mr. Crouch.

He and the other Ministry wizards were closing in on them. Harry got to his feet to face them. Mr. Crouch's face was taut with rage. He saw Sirius and his eyes were filled with joy.

"Which of you did it?" he snapped, his sharp eyes darting between them. "Which of you conjured the Dark Mark?"

"We didn't do that!" said Harry, gesturing up at the skull.

"We didn't do anything!" said Ron, who was rubbing his elbow.

He gave Naruto a grateful look, if he hadn't pulled Ron down, his head would have been exactly the point for all their collective attacks to collide and looking indignantly at his father.  
"What did you want to attack us for?"

"Do not lie, sir!" shouted Mr. Crouch. His wand was still pointing directly at Ron, and his eyes were popping - he looked slightly mad. "You have been discovered at the scene of the crime!"

"Barty," whispered a witch in a long woolen dressing gown, "They're kids, Barty, they'd never have been able to"

"Don't blame them for your failure." Sirius shot back as he quickly grabbed Harry's shoulder to look at him.

"Where did the Mark come from, you four?" said Mr. Weasley quickly.

"Over there," Naruto pointed, "Some jerk wearing black leather overcoat or a cloak or something, I gave him a bum leg before he escaped. Couldn't see his face though, sorry." Naruto said more to Sirius and Mr. Weasley.

"But there was another figure, it was stunned, I think, as soon as the guy disappeared I came back for -"  
Naruto paused as he looked at Harry, everyone followed his vision and understood. Apart from Harry himself.  
"My friends."

"We should go and check who it was."  
Amos Diggory who had appeared out of nowhere said as he went into the woods and came back with a house elf in his arms and the elf itself had a wand in its hand.

It was Winky.

Mr. Crouch did not move or speak as Mr. Diggory deposited his elf on the ground at his feet. The other Ministry wizards were all staring at Mr. Crouch. For a few seconds Crouch remained transfixed, his eyes blazing in his white face as he stared down at Winky. Then he appeared to come to life again.

"This - cannot - be." he said jerkily. "No -"

He moved quickly around Mr. Diggory and strode off toward the place where he had found Winky.

"No point, Mr. Crouch," Mr. Diggory called after him. "There's no one else there."

However Mr. Crouch did not seem prepared to take his word for it. They could hear him moving around and the rustling of leaves as he pushed the bushes aside, searching.

"Bit embarrassing," Mr. Diggory said grimly, looking down at Winky's unconscious form.  
"Barty Crouch's house-elf - I mean to say -"

"Did you not hear me geezer? I just told you I saw a man, I attacked a man." Naruto said.

"Come off it, Amos," said Mr. Weasley quietly, "you don't seriously think it was the elf? The Dark Mark's a wizard's sign. It requires a wand."

"Yeah," said Mr. Diggory, "and she had a wand."

"What?" said Mr. Weasley.

"Here, look." Mr. Diggory held up a wand and showed it to Mr. Weasley. "Had it in her hand. So that's clause three of the Code of Wand Use broken, for a start. No non-human creature is permitted to carry or use a wand."

Just then there was another pop, and Ludo Bagman apparated right next to Mr. Weasley.

Looking breathless and disorientated, he spun on the spot, goggling upward at the emerald-green skull.

"The Dark Mark!" he panted, almost trampling Winky as he turned inquiringly to his colleagues.  
"Who did it? Did you get them? Barty! What's going on?"

Mr. Crouch had returned empty-handed. His face was still ghostly white, and his hands and his toothbrush mustache were both twitching.

"Where have you been, Barty?" said Bagman.  
"Why weren't you at the match? Your elf was saving you a seat too - gulping gargoyles!" Bagman had just noticed Winky lying at his feet. "What happened to her?"

"I have been busy, Ludo," said Mr. Crouch, still talking in the same jerky fashion, barely moving his lips. "And my elf has been stunned."

"Stunned? By you lot, you mean? But why - ?"

Comprehension dawned suddenly on Bagman's round, shiny face; he looked up at the skull, down at Winky, and then at Mr. Crouch.

"No!" he said.  
"Winky? Conjure the Dark Mark? She wouldn't know how! She'd need a wand, for a start!"

"And she had one," said Mr. Diggory. "I found her holding one, Ludo. If it's all right with you, Mr. Crouch, I think we should hear what she's got to say for herself."

Crouch gave no sign that he had heard Mr. Diggory, but Mr. Diggory seemed to take his silence for assent. He raised his own wand, pointed it at Winky, and said, "Ennervate!"

Winky stirred feebly. Her great brown eyes opened and she blinked several times in a bemused sort of way. Watched by the silent wizards, she raised herself shakily into a sitting position.

She caught sight of Mr. Diggory's feet, and slowly, tremulously, raised her eyes to stare up into his face; then, more slowly still, she looked up into the sky. She gave a gasp, looked wildly around the crowded clearing, and burst into terrified sobs.

"Elf!" said Mr. Diggory sternly.  
"Do you know who I am? I'm a member of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures!"

Winky began to rock backward and forward on the ground, her breath coming in sharp bursts.

"As you see, elf, the Dark Mark was conjured here a short while ago," said Mr. Diggory. "And you were discovered moments later, right beneath it! An explanation, if you please!"

"I - I - I is not doing it, sir!" Winky gasped. "I is not knowing how, sir!"

"You were found with a wand in your hand!" barked Mr. Diggory, brandishing it in front of her. And as the wand caught the green light that was filling the clearing from the skull above.

"So," said Mr. Diggory, his eyes hardening as he turned to look at Winky again, cowering at his feet. "You found this wand, eh, elf? And you picked it up and thought you'd have some fun with it, did you?"

"I is not doing magic with it, sir!" squealed Winky, tears streaming down the sides of her squashed and bulbous nose.

"I is - I is - I is just picking it up, sir! i is not making the Dark Mark, sir, i is not knowing how!"

"It wasn't her!" said Hermione.  
She looked very nervous, speaking up in front of all these Ministry wizards, yet determined all the same.  
"Winky's got a squeaky little voice, and the voice we heard doing the incantation was much deeper! And Naruto just said he attacked a man."  
She looked around at Harry and Ron, appealing for their support. She looked at Naruto he was clenching his fist tight but not saying anything.

"It didn't sound anything like Winky, did it?"

"No," said Harry, shaking his head. "It definitely didn't sound like an elf."

"Yeah, it was a human voice," said Ron.

"Well, we'll soon see," growled Mr. Diggory, looking unimpressed.

"There's a simple way of discovering the last spell a wand performed, elf, did you know that?"

Winky trembled and shook her head frantically, her ears flapping, as Mr. Diggory raised his own wand again and placed it tip to tip with the other wand.

"Prior Incantato!" roared Mr. Diggory.

They all gasped as a miniature version of the spell occurred when the two wands met.

"Deletrius!" Mr. Diggory shouted, and the smoky skull vanished in a wisp of smoke.

"So," said Mr. Diggory with a kind of savage triumph, looking down upon Winky, who was still shaking convulsively.

"I is not doing it!" she squealed, her eyes rolling in terror.  
"I is not, I is not, I is not knowing how! I is a good elf, I isn't using wands, I isn't knowing how!"

"You've been caught red-handed, elf!" Mr. Diggory roared.  
"Caught with the guilty wand in your hand!"

"Amos," said Mr. Weasley loudly,  
"think about it - precious few wizards know how to do that spell - Where would she have learned it?"

"Perhaps Amos is suggesting," said Mr. Crouch, cold anger in every syllable, "that I routinely teach my servants to conjure the Dark Mark?"

There was a deeply unpleasant silence. Amos Diggory looked horrified.  
"Mr. Crouch - not - not at all."

"You have now come very close to accusing the two people in this clearing who are least likely to conjure that Mark!" barked Mr. Crouch.

"Harry Potter - and myself. I suppose you are familiar with the boy's story, Amos?"

"Of course - everyone knows -" muttered Mr. Diggory, looking highly discomforted.

"And I trust you remember the many proofs I have given, over a long career, that I despise and detest the Dark Arts and those who practice them?" Mr. Crouch shouted, his eyes bulging again.

"Mr. Crouch, I - I never suggested you had anything to do with it!"

Amos Diggory muttered again, now reddening behind his scrubby brown beard.

"If you accuse my elf, you accuse me, Diggory!" shouted Mr. Crouch.  
"Where else would she have learned to conjure it?"

"SHUT UP!" Hermione and Sirius looked at Naruto, trying to stop him but they couldn't do so.

"You should quit your job at regulation of Magical Creatures, you all are nothing but vile wizards, let me show you how someone who knows magical creature does things." Naruto was extremely pissed so he almost pushed Diggory aside, he pulled Winky on her feet and then said.

"This will hurt a little, close your eyes."  
Winky did so without another word and then Naruto put a hand on her head, the entire area was filled in golden dust, the dust came together to form a figure just like Winky, only it showed some deep blue colour in the brain part, every wizard immediately realised, Barty said.

"Memory Charm!"

"Yeah, you can open your eyes, it will be no use, what she did, who she did it for, we will never know." Naruto said as he removed his hand and got up and away.

"Why were you out of the tent when I told you to stay?" Barty said.

Naruto knew something like this would happen, but at least she will not have to go through an entire trial now.

"Winky has behaved tonight in a manner I would not have believed possible," he said slowly. "I told her to remain in the tent. I told her to stay there while I went to sort out the trouble. And I find that she disobeyed me. This means clothes." He finished.

"No!" shrieked Winky, prostrating herself at Mr. Crouch's feet. "No, master! Not clothes, not clothes!"

It was pitiful to see the way Winky clutched at her tea towel as she sobbed over Mr. Crouch's feet. Naruto couldn't see this so he gave Sirius and Mr. Weasley a look and started to leave.

"Where are you.." Harry was saying.

"Let him go, he is leaving so that he might not do something he would regret." Sirius said.

* * *

The next day Naruto apparated in front of the Burrow, to see that the entire group was standing at the door, Mrs. Weasley hugging Mr. Weasley. He walked towards them and as soon as he came into view, Betty ran towards him, hugging him.

"This is nice." He said.

They all shared a look and Betty quickly pulled away, embarrassed.

"Where did you go last night?" Ron asked.

"I went to check up on Mito, she was able to get away with her friends, my mother, Erza and her team had left long before the things went to shit." He told them.

"So? The list?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"All of them reported being hurt by Death eaters, no proof they did anything, did you read the Prophet?"

"What? Not yet. Let's go inside."

When they were all crammed into the tiny kitchen, and Hermione had made Mrs. Weasley a cup of very strong tea, into which Mr. Weasley insisted on pouring a shot of Ogdens Old Firewhiskey, Bill handed his father the newspaper. Mr. Weasley scanned the front page while Percy looked over his shoulder.

"I knew it," said Mr. Weasley heavily.

"Ministry blunders - culprits not apprehended - lax security - Dark wizards running unchecked - national disgrace - Who wrote this? Ah - of course - Rita Skeeter."

"That woman's got it in for the Ministry of Magic!" said Percy furiously.

"Last week she was saying we're wasting our time quibbling about cauldron thickness, when we should be stamping out vampires! As if it wasn't specifically stated in paragraph twelve of the Guidelines for the Treatment of Non-Wizard Part-Humans -"

"Do us a favor, Perce," said Bill, yawning, "and shut up."

"I'm mentioned," said Mr. Weasley, his eyes widening behind his glasses as he reached the bottom of the Daily Prophet article.

"Where?" spluttered Mrs. Weasley, choking on her tea and whiskey. "If I'd seen that, I'd have known you were alive!"

"Not by name," said Mr. Weasley.

"Listen to this: 'If the terrified wizards and witches who waited breathlessly for news at the edge of the wood expected reassurance from the Ministry of Magic, they were sadly disappointed -"

"- A Ministry official emerged some time after the appearance of the Dark Mark alleging that nobody had been hurt, but refusing to give any more information. Whether this statement will be enough to quash the rumors that several bodies were removed from the woods an hour later, remains to be seen.' Oh really," said Mr. Weasley in exasperation, handing the paper to Percy.  
"Nobody was hurt. What was I supposed to say? Rumors that several bodies were removed from the woods - well, there certainly will be rumors now she's printed that."

He heaved a deep sigh. "Molly, I'm going to have to go into the office; this is going to take some smoothing over."

"I'll come with you, Father," said Percy importantly.  
"Mr. Crouch will need all hands on deck. And I can give him my cauldron report in person."

He bustled out of the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley looked most upset.  
"Arthur, you're supposed to be on holiday! This hasn't got anything to do with your office; surely they can handle this without you?"

"I've got to go, Molly," said Mr. Weasley.  
"I've made things worse. I'll just change into my robes and I'll be off -"

"I forgot to ask Sirius about -" Harry muttered.

"About what?" Naruto who was drinking tea next to him asked as he overheard, Harry gave Naruto , Ron and Hermione a pleading look, and said, "All right if I go and dump my stuff in your room, Ron?"

"Yeah - think I will too," said Ron at once. "Hermione?"

"Yes," she said quickly, and the four of them marched out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

"What's up, Harry?" said Ron, the moment they had closed the door of the attic room behind them.

"There's something I haven't told you," Harry said.  
"On Saturday morning, I woke up with my scar hurting again."

"What?" Naruto said and then went into deep thought, just like Harry expected.

Ron's and Hermione's reactions were almost exactly as Harry had imagined them back in his bedroom on Privet Drive as well. Hermione gasped and started making suggestions at once, mentioning a number of reference books, and everybody from Albus Dumbledore to Madam Pomfrey, the Hogwarts nurse. Ron simply looked dumbstruck.

"But - he wasn't there, was he? You-Know-Who? I mean - last time your scar kept hurting, he was at Hogwarts, wasn't he?"

"I'm sure he wasn't on Privet Drive," said Harry. "But I was dreaming about him - him and Peter - you know, Wormtail. I can't remember all of it now, but they were plotting to kill - someone."

He had teetered for a moment on the verge of saying "me," but couldn't bring himself to make Hermione look any more terrified than she already did.

"It was only a dream," said Ron bracingly. "Just a nightmare."

"Yeah, but was it, though?" said Harry, turning to look out of the window at the brightening sky.  
"It's weird, isn't it? - My scar hurts, and three days later the Death Eaters are on the march, and Voldemort's sign's up in the sky again."

"Don't - say - his - name!" Ron hissed through gritted teeth.

"And remember what Professor Trelawney said?" Harry went on, ignoring Ron.  
"At the end of last year?"

Professor Trelawney was their Divination teacher at Hogwarts. Hermione's terrified look vanished as she let out a derisive snort.

"Oh Harry, you aren't going to pay attention to anything that old fraud says?"

"You weren't there," said Harry.

"You didn't hear her. This time was different. I told you, she went into a trance - a real one. And she said the Dark Lord would rise again - greater and more terrible than ever before - and he'd manage it because his servant was going to go back to him - when Naruto and the others captured him I too thought it was another one of her crazy predictions but Sirius told me last night that the reason he could not stay in constant contact with me was because he is out there looking for Wormtail who had escaped."

There was a silence in which Ron fidgeted absentmindedly with a hole in his Chudley Cannons bedspread.

They turned to Naruto.

"What do you think?" Harry asked.

"I don't know mate, last time you heard voices there was a Basilisk in the school pipes, and when it comes to dreams and memories of wizards, they are often very hard to differentiate, but for now let Sirius wonder about them, he and Professor Lupin would know better." Naruto truthfully answered.

"You are right, they would be better at figuring this out." Hermione said.

"Come and have a game of Quidditch in the orchard, Harry," said Ron.

"Come on - four on three, Bill and Charlie and Fred and George will play - You can try out the Wronski Feint -"

"Ron," said Hermione, in an I-don't-think-you're-being-very-sensitive sort of voice, "Harry doesn't want to play Quidditch right now - He's worried, and he's tired - We all need to go to bed - "

"Yeah, I want to play Quidditch," said Harry suddenly. "Hang on, I'll get my Firebolt."

"And why four on three, we can get Ginny, she can also fly from what she says, I'll get my Rudra." Naruto muttered.

Hermione left the room, muttering something that sounded very much like "Boys."

* * *

Neither Mr. Weasley nor Percy was at home much over the following week. Both left the house each morning before the rest of the family got up, and returned well after dinner every night.

"It's been an absolute uproar," Percy told them importantly the Sunday evening before they were due to return to Hogwarts.

"I've been putting out fires all week. People keep sending Howlers, and of course, if you don't open a Howler straight away, it explodes. Scorch marks all over my desk and my best quill reduced to cinders."

"Why are they all sending Howlers?" asked Ginny, who was sitting on the sofa in front of the living room fire with Betty, both of them looking over photos that Naruto had taken of the world cup, everyone had a photo in the album, even people like Cho Chang, Cedric, Susan Bones, Sheamus, Dean, etc.

"Complaining about security at the World Cup," said Percy.

"They want compensation for their ruined property. Mundungus Fletcher's put in a claim for a twelve-bedroomed tent with en-suite Jacuzzi, but I've got his number. I know for a fact he was sleeping under a cloak propped on sticks."

Mrs. Weasley glanced at the grandfather clock in the corner. This clock was completely useless if you wanted to know the time, but otherwise very informative.

It had nine golden hands, and each of them was engraved with one of the Weasley family's names. There were no numerals around the face, but descriptions of where each family member might be. "Home," "School," and "Work" were there, but there was also "Traveling," "Lost," "Hospital," "Prison," and, in the position where the number twelve would be on a normal clock, "Mortal Peril."

Eight of the hands were currently pointing to the "Home" position, but Mr. Weasley's, which was the longest, was still pointing to "Work." Mrs. Weasley sighed.

"Your father hasn't had to go into the office on weekends since the days of You- Know-Who," she said. "They're working him far too hard. His dinner's going to be ruined if he doesn't come home soon."

"Well, Father feels he's got to make up for his mistake at the match, doesn't he?" said Percy. "If truth be told, he was a tad unwise to make a public statement without clearing it with his Head of Department first -"

"Don't you dare blame your father for what that wretched Skeeter woman wrote!" said Mrs. Weasley, flaring up at once.

"If Dad hadn't said anything, old Rita would just have said it was disgraceful that nobody from the Ministry had commented," said Bill, who was playing chess with Ron.

"Rita Skeeter never makes anyone look good. Remember, she interviewed all the Gringotts' Charm Breakers once, and called me 'a long-haired pillock'?"

"Well, it is a bit long, dear," said Mrs. Weasley gently. "If you'd just let me -"

"No, Mum."

* * *

Rain lashed against the living room window. Hermione was immersed in The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4, copies of which Mrs. Weasley had bought for her, Harry, and Ron in Diagon Alley.

Harry was polishing his Firebolt, the broomstick servicing kit Hermione had given him for his thirteenth birthday open at his feet. Fred and George were sitting in a far corner, quills out, talking in whispers, their heads bent over a piece of parchment.

Suddenly the briefcase that was on the ground by the table opened, Naruto and Charlie walked out of it, both wearing fireproof gear, which were smoking,

"See, I told you, he's nasty." Naruto said, as he started to remove his gear.

"I really believed your definition of nasty would be, amateur one, but now I agree, Nasty!" Charlie said with a smile.

"You technique is amazing by the way." Naruto complimented as he folded his gear and dropped it back in the Briefcase and closed it behind him.

"Your's is not too shabby either, considering you created it, it's brilliant." Charlie said.

It was finally then that the two noticed others.

"What? Do you have illegal magical creatures in that briefcase!" Percy practically shrieked.  
"No! Only two dragons, I have paperwork for them if you want to see." Naruto said with a smile.

Charlie let out a snort at this, muttered, 'only' and started laughing.

Naruto went for his bag that was on the couch and pulled a form out and handed it to Percy. As Percy read the form, Naruto shrunk his briefcase and put it in the bag. Percy finished reading it and said.

"Everything is in order."

"Of course it is, I am a jerk to all ministry employees I don't do anything illegal so that they never have anything over me." Naruto replied as he took the form and put it inside his bag. While also smirking back at Charlie. He sat down next to Betty and Ginny.

"You found the ones you will use for The Owl Post?"

"Still looking." Betty said.

"These are beautiful, Mum look at this one of me!" Ginny said as he held a photo out to Mrs. Weasley.

Mrs. Weasley came and took the photo.

"Oh Wow!" She said, She complimented Naruto and then spotted Fred and George.

"What are you two up to?" said Mrs. Weasley sharply, her eyes on the twins.

"Homework," said Fred vaguely.

"Don't be ridiculous, you're still on holiday," said Mrs. Weasley.

"Yeah, we've left it a bit late," said George.

"You're not by any chance writing out a new order form, are you?" said Mrs. Weasley shrewdly.

"You wouldn't be thinking of restarting Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, by any chance?"

"Now, Mum," said Fred, looking up at her, a pained look on his face.

"If the Hogwarts Express crashed tomorrow, and George and I died, how would you feel to know that the last thing we ever heard from you was an unfounded accusation?"

Everyone laughed, even Mrs. Weasley.

"Oh your father's coming!" she said suddenly, looking up at the clock again.

Mr. Weasley's hand had suddenly spun from "Work" to "Traveling"; a second later it had shuddered to a halt on "Home" with the others, and they heard him calling from the kitchen.

"Coming, Arthur!" called Mrs. Weasley, hurrying out of the room.

A few moments later, Mr. Weasley came into the warm living room carrying his dinner on a tray. He looked completely exhausted.

"Well, the fat's really in the fire now." he told Mrs. Weasley as he sat down in an armchair near the hearth and toyed unenthusiastically with his somewhat shriveled cauliflower.

"Rita Skeeter's been ferreting around all week, looking for more Ministry mess-ups to report. And now she's found out about poor old Bertha going missing, so that'll be the headline in the Prophet tomorrow. I told Bagman he should have sent someone to look for her ages ago."

"Mr. Crouch has been saying it for weeks and weeks." said Percy swiftly.

"Crouch is very lucky Rita hasn't found out about Winky," said Mr. Weasley irritably.  
"There'd be a week's worth of headlines in his house-elf being caught holding the wand that conjured the Dark Mark."

"I thought we were all agreed that that elf, while irresponsible, did not conjure the Mark?" said Percy hotly.

"If you ask me, Mr. Crouch is very lucky no one at the Daily Prophet knows how mean he is to elves!" said Hermione angrily.

"Now look here, Hermione!" said Percy. "A high-ranking Ministry official like Mr. Crouch deserves unswerving obedience from his servants -"

"His slave, you mean!" said Hermione, her voice rising passionately, "because he didn't pay Winky, did he?"

"I think you'd all better go upstairs and check that you've packed properly!" said Mrs. Weasley,

"I have, so I'll be outside. I'll be upstairs later." Naruto said as he stepped out after getting a nod of approval from Mrs. Weasley.

* * *

Naruto walked up to the wooden boundary and leaned on it as he stood watching the starry sky. He heard footsteps behind him, he looked back to see Betty wearing a blue bathrobe, walking towards him.

"Hey." Naruto said. As he turned to stare back at the sky.

"Hey, you are more burdened than usual." She said,

Naruto chuckled.

"I see that once again only you seem to see through me." He said, as Betty leaned next to him.

"You could say both of us are connected." Betty said with a chuckle.

"So, this has nothing to do with the fact that you like me and find me 'hot'." Naruto said.

"How did you?" Betty could mutter in her shock.

"Hermione caved during one of her calls, she told me everything." He said as he looked at her, she was trying to say something in her defence but Naruto continued.

"Do you like me?" Naruto asked with firm tone.

Betty looked in his eyes, those eyes. She truthfully answered.

"Yes."

"Do you want, I don't know, have a relation with me?" He asked.

"Yes." Betty said but with a smile.

"Then, I need to show you something." Naruto said, as he placed his two fingers on her forehead and muttered.

"Legilimen!"

Naruto showed her key points of his life, his love for Irene, meeting with Yasaka, his summer with the Flamels, everything that happened on Crimson Island. His time with his family. He even showed her the memories from his connection to The Beast.

He also showed that he also liked her a lot but due to everything going on in his life, He never had time to figure it both returned back to the real world to see it had only been maybe a minute in the real world.

"Do you still?" Naruto was saying but before he could say it, he got a reply as his head was grabbed by both of Betty's hands and she kissed him on the lips, Naruto shakily raised his hand and put it on her neck, he deepened the kiss, it lasted for a few minutes but then need for air to breathe surpassed passion and they pulled apart.

"Great answer." Naruto said as they both had their foreheads against each other.

"Thanks." Betty said with a beautiful smile.

"So, we are dating now, huh?" Naruto said.

"Yes, yes we are." Betty said.

"Betts!" Ginny's voice came. She was standing a few feet away, her hands folded in front, with a grin. Betty instantly ran towards her, and they whispered amongst themselves and entered the burrow.

Naruto stood there smiling, he looked at the sky and said.

"Is it alright Irene?" A strong breeze went by.

Naruto chuckled and said.

"Thanks love."


	49. Book 4 Chapter 6: Hogwarts Callin'

The next day Naruto and the others made it to King's Kross, through the heavy rain and made it to Platform 9 ¾ without any problems, Ginny kept looking and smiling at him and Betty as they walked together but nothing more.

The Hogwarts Express, the gleaming scarlet steam engine was already there, clouds of steam billowing from it, through which the many Hogwarts students and parents on the platform appeared like dark ghosts.

Pigwidgeon became noisier than ever in response to the hooting of many owls through the mist.  
Harry, Ron, Hermione and Naruto set off to find seats and were soon stowing their luggage in a compartment halfway along the train.

Ginny and Betty found other seats with Luna of their own. They then hopped back down onto the platform to say good-bye to Mrs. Weasley, Bill, and Charlie.

"I might be seeing you all sooner than you think." said Charlie, grinning, as he hugged Ginny good-bye.

"Why?" said Fred keenly.

"You'll see," said Charlie.  
"Just don't tell Percy I mentioned it - 'it's classified information, until such time as the Ministry sees fit to release it,' after all."

"Yeah, I sort of wish I were back at Hogwarts this year," said Bill, hands in his pockets, looking almost wistfully at the train.

"Why?" said George impatiently.

"You're going to have an interesting year," said Bill, his eyes twinkling. "I might even get time off to come and watch a bit of it."

"A bit of what?" said Ron.

However at that moment, the whistle blew, and Mrs. Weasley chivvied them toward the train doors.

"Thanks for having us to stay, Mrs. Weasley," said Hermione as they climbed on board, closed the door, and leaned out of the window to talk to her.

"Yeah, thanks for everything, Mrs. Weasley," said Harry.

"It was amazing to spend time with you guys." said Naruto.

"Yes, Thank you for your hospitality. Mrs. W." Betty said.

"Oh it was my pleasure, dears," said Mrs. Weasley.  
"I'd invite you for Christmas, but - well, I expect you're all going to want to stay at Hogwarts, what with - one thing and another."

"Mum!" said Ron irritably. "What d'you three know that we don't?"

"You'll find out this evening, I expect," said Mrs. Weasley, smiling.  
"It's going to be very exciting - mind you, I'm very glad they've changed the rules -"

"What rules?" said Harry, Ron, Naruto, Fred, and George together.

"I'm sure Professor Dumbledore will tell you - Now, behave, won't you? Won't you, Fred? And you, George? And you as well Naruto, together you three are a recipe for chaos." Mrs. Weasley said.

"Are not!" Naruto, Fred and George said at the same time.

"Tell us what's happening at Hogwarts!" Fred bellowed out of the window as Mrs. Weasley, Bill, and Charlie sped away from them. "What rules are they changing?"

However Mrs. Weasley only smiled and waved, before the train had rounded the corner, she, Bill, and Charlie had Disapparated.

Harry, Ron, Naruto and Hermione went back to their compartment. The thick rain splattering the windows made it very difficult to see out of them.

"Bagman wanted to tell us what's happening at Hogwarts," Ron said grumpily, sitting down next to Harry.  
"At the World Cup, remember? But my own mother won't say. Wonder what -"

"Shh!" Hermione whispered suddenly, pressing her finger to her lips and pointing toward the compartment next to theirs.

Naruto, Harry and Ron listened, and heard a familiar drawling voice drifting in through the open door.

" - Father actually considered sending me to Durmstrang rather than Hogwarts, you know. He knows the headmaster, you see. Well, you know his opinion of Dumbledore - the man's such a Mudblood-lover - and Durmstrang doesn't admit that sort of riffraff, but Mother didn't like the idea of me going to school so far away. Father says Durmstrang takes a far more sensible line than Hogwarts about the Dark Arts. Durmstrang students actually learn them, not just the defense rubbish we do - "

Naruto waved his hand over the compartment door, and it slid shut, blocking out Malfoy's voice.

"So he thinks Durmstrang would have suited him, does he?" Hermione said angrily.

"I wish he had gone, then we wouldn't have to put up with him." She added.

"Durmstrang is another wizarding school?" said Harry.

"Yes," said Hermione sniffily, "and it's got a horrible reputation. According to 'An Appraisal of Magical Education in Europe', it puts a lot of emphasis on the Dark Arts."

"You guys enjoy, I have some photographs to distribute." Naruto said, ignoring the conversation as he got up.

"Are you sure? Not visiting someone blonde and perky are you?" Hermione said with a smirk, Naruto lost his footing at this he turned sharply to look at her smirking face.

"How did you -!?"

"Well I told you about it in the first place didn't I?" Hermione said.

"You played me?!" Naruto said in surprise.

"Well yes I did." Hermione said, Naruto just muttered a wow and left.

As he was going around he spotted Hannah Abbott, with her uniform in hand. Probably going to change.

"Hey Naruto, congratulations on winning your Potion Championship, Mr. Potioneer." Hannah said with a smile as she spotted him.

"Hey Han! Yeah, Thanks, it was interesting to say the least, anyway here take these." He handed her a bunch of photographs.

"What are these?" She asked.

"Ah! Yeah, I had a camera during the match and I spotted a bunch of people from school going about, I took some photographs, these are the ones of the people I am sure are in Hufflepuff." Naruto finished.

She looked through the photos and saw very wonderful photographs of her and her friends.

"Wow! These are beautiful, where you stalking us?" Hannah joked but in a serious tone, Naruto didn't catch the words but went with the tone.

"What? No! I just spotted you all! I am not a creep, you know me!" He started babbling, Hannah kept a hand on his shoulder to calm him down, while laughing.

"I know you, I was just kidding! Thanks for these." She said as she hugged him and started to leave, Naruto stood there dumbfounded for a while, until finally his senses returned to him.

"The hell? Don't joke like that woman!" He screamed in a high pitched voice after her.

As he saw her turn while laughing, she waved at him and left around the corner. He smiled after her and then continued finding and distributing photos to some other people he knew.

Then he also entered a stall to change into his uniform.

As he was walking back from changing into his uniform (he now always wears his Kitsune band around his left arm because it's band part blended with his robes but metal sticking out and Kimoyo beads around his right wrist). He was walking towards a particular cabin when he spotted a friend from Ravenclaw.

"Oye, Boot!" Naruto exclaimed at the friend he spotted. Terry Boot, a ravenclaw from his year and one of the students that shared Study of Ancient Runes with him.

"Hey Naruto, Congrats on winning the Wizarding Schools Potion Championship, it was a marvellous feat." Terry said as he extended his hand for a handshake. Naruto grabbed it and said.

"Thanks mate, Can you do me a favour and post these Photographs on Ravenclaw's notice board so that people can take the ones that belong to them."  
Then he handed Terry a bunch of photos, Terry went through them to see that they were, in his opinion quite good.

"These are amazing, did you take them?" Terry asked.

"Yeah."

"Wow, you might have a talent for this, and of course I'll post these. See you at school mate." Terry said as he left.

As they parted ways, Naruto made it to Betty, Ginny and Luna's compartment. They were all already in their robes. As soon they spotted him, Ginny smirked and said.

"Couldn't stay away?"

"Shut up, I am here to talk about The Owl Post. Remember the Magazine you all started." He said as he entered.

"Sure ~!" Ginny dragged the sure as she moved to sit next to Luna, leaving the seat next to Betty empty, Betty on the other hand had her face in her palms from the very moment he entered.

"How immature." Naruto said as he sat down next to Betty with a blush of his own.

Soon but with great difficulty Naruto was able to get the conversation on The Owl Post.

As they were talking Naruto's hand was gently grabbed by a smaller hand, he almost jumped but then with a blush looked at Betty who was also blushing and acting as if her entire focus was on the conversation with Ginny and Luna.

They were debating on who will get to write about Quidditch World Cup, Naruto smiled and then gripped her hand tightly. She on the other hand actually jumped a little but then she refocused on the conversation and with the most beautiful smile he had ever seen.

Irene would always be first in his heart but the life they spend together had made it easier for him to move on. So yeah, most beautiful smile he had ever seen.

The train stopped, Betty thought about removing her hand from his grip but he didn't let go, he whispered.

"Let them make fun, sooner or later they would know, so why not sooner." He said.

She smiled and nodded, the entire school saw them walk towards the Thestral drawn carriages holding hands, a lot of girls would be jealous of her, more so as time went on.

* * *

Through the gates, flanked with statues of winged boars, and up the sweeping drive the carriages trundled, swaying dangerously in what was fast becoming a gale. Leaning against the window, the four could see Hogwarts coming nearer, its many lighted windows blurred and shimmering behind the thick curtain of rain.

Lightning flashed across the sky as their carriage came to a halt before the great oak front doors, which stood at the top of a flight of stone steps. People who had occupied the carriages in front were already hurrying up the stone steps into the castle.

Naruto, Ginny, Betty, and Luna jumped down from their carriage, Naruto first as soon as he was out he pulled his wand and an invisible umbrella formed from his wand, Ginny, Betty and Luna came below it, it grew to cover all of them and they moved up the steps, looking up only when they were safely inside the cavernous, torch-lit entrance hall, with its magnificent marble staircase. Naruto dropped the umbrella.

Naruto on impulse raised his hand and caught a red water balloon sailing towards him, it burst in his hands, but only he got wet, he let out a good natured chuckle and said.

"Good to see you too Peeves."

"How ya doin' Paruto! Good summer!" Peeves said as he kept launching balloons at Naruto, Naruto had shifted his sun tattoo to his palm, so he kept turning the cold water immediately into steam.

"Marvellous!" Naruto answered as he entered the Great Hall behind the girls, Peeves had changed his targets as well.

"See you later Peeves!" Naruto said as he was entering.

"Of course Paruto!" Peeves shouted.

The Great Hall looked its usual splendid self, decorated for the start-of-term feast. Golden plates and goblets gleamed by the light of hundreds and hundreds of candles, floating over the tables in midair. The four long House tables were packed with chattering students; at the top of the Hall, the staff sat along one side of a fifth table, facing their pupils.

It was much warmer here. They walked past the Slytherins, they bid goodbye to Luna at the Ravenclaws table and then walked by the Hufflepuffs and sat down with the rest of the Gryffindors at the far side of the Hall, next to Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost.

Pearly white and semitransparent, Nick was dressed tonight in his usual doublet, but with a particularly large ruff, which served the dual purpose of looking extra-festive, and insuring that his head didn't wobble too much on his partially severed neck.

"Good evening," he said, beaming at them.

"Good evening to you too, Sir Nick." Naruto said, over the years all the ghost had become Naruto's friends as well, he would some mornings have Nick accompany him as he left for his morning exercise, he had once accidentally stumbled on the Ravenclaw tower to meet The Gray Lady, she was good, a little emo, but good.

"I heard you won a great Championship of Potioneers' lad. Congratulations! Bringing the pride to Gryffindors." Nick said as Naruto thanked him and sat next to Betty and Ginny. Soon, The others joined them. Naruto saw that Harry and the others were wet and laughed at them.

"He got you, huh"

"Yeah!" Harry said as he emptied his sneakers of water.  
They were all waiting for the sorting ceremony to start, as Hermione and Ginny kept smirking at Betty and Naruto who were talking about random stuff, not even looking at others. There hands playing with each others' below the table.

"Oh hurry up," Ron moaned suddenly, beside Harry.

"I could eat a hippogriff."

The words were no sooner out of his mouth than the doors of the Great Hall opened and silence fell.

Professor McGonagall was leading a long line of first years up to the top of the Hall. If others were wet, it was nothing to how these first years looked. They appeared to have swum across the lake rather than sailed. All of them were shivering with a combination of cold and nerves as they filed along the staff table and came to a halt in a line facing the rest of the school - all of them except the smallest of the lot.

A boy with mousy hair, who was wrapped in what looked like Hagrid's moleskin overcoat. The coat was so big for him that it hooked as though he were draped in a furry black circus tent. His small face protruded from over the collar, looking almost painfully excited. When he had lined up with his terrified-looking peers, he caught Colin Creevey's eye, gave a double thumbs-up, and mouthed, 'I fell into the lake!' He looked positively delighted about it.

Professor McGonagall now placed a three-legged stool on the ground before the first years and, on top of it, an extremely old, dirty patched wizard's hat. The first years stared at it. So did everyone else. For a moment, there was silence. Then a long tear near the brim opened wide like a mouth, and the hat broke into song:

* * *

_A thousand years or more ago,_

_When I was newly sewn,_

_There lived four wizards of renown,_

_Whose names are still well known:_

_Bold Gryffindor, from wild moor,_

_Fair Ravenclaw, from glen,_

_Sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad,_

_Shrewd Slytherin, from fin._

_They shared a wish, a hope, a dream,_

_They hatched a daring plan_

_To educate young sorcerers_

_Thus Hogwarts School began._

_Now each of these four founders_

_Formed their own house, for each_

_Did value different virtues_

_In the ones they had to teach._

_By Gryffindor, the bravest were_

_Prized far beyond the rest;_

_For Ravenclaw, the cleverest_

_Would always be the best;_

_For Hufflepuff, hard workers were_

_Most worthy of admission;_

_And power-hungry Slytherin_

_Loved those of great ambition._

_While still alive they did divide_

_Their favorites from the throng,_

_Yet how to pick the worthy ones_

_When they were dead and gone?_

_'Twas Gryffindor who found the way,_

_He whipped me off his head_

_The founders put some brains in me_

_So I could choose instead!_

_Now slip me snug about your ears,_

_I've never yet been wrong,_

_I'll have a look inside your mind_

_And tell where you belong!_

* * *

The Great Hall rang with applause as the Sorting Hat finished.

"That's not the song it sang when it sorted us," said Harry, clapping along with everyone else.

"Sings a different one every year," mentioned Naruto.

"It's got to be a pretty boring life, hasn't it, being a hat? I suppose it spends all year making up the next one." Ron said.

Professor McGonagall was now unrolling a large scroll of parchment.

The sorting kept going but Naruto's attention was caught by Delphini, he had not seen her since Quidditch World Cup and they didn't have a face to face conversation for a year now, he had only one picture of her, she was smiling brightly in it. So he thought he'd give it to her personally.

"What are you at?" Ginny asked.

"Nothing. Did something happen?" He said as his mind was brought back, the feast had started.

"Holy shit! Dig in!"

He started to stuff his mouth.

"You're lucky there's a feast at all tonight, you know," said Nearly Headless Nick. "There was trouble in the kitchens earlier."

"Why? Wha' 'appened?" said Harry, through a sizable chunk of steak.

"Peeves, of course," said Nearly Headless Nick, shaking his head, which wobbled dangerously. He pulled his ruff a little higher up on his neck.  
"The usual argument, you know. He wanted to attend the feast - well, it's quite out of the question, you know what he's like, utterly uncivilized, can't see a plate of food without throwing it. We held a ghost's council - the Fat Friar was all for giving him the chance - but most wisely, in my opinion, the Bloody Baron put his foot down."

The Bloody Baron was the Slytherin ghost, a gaunt and silent specter covered in silver bloodstains. He was the only person at Hogwarts who could really control Peeves.

"Yeah, we thought Peeves seemed hacked off about something -" said Ron darkly.

"So what did he do in the kitchens?" Naruto asked.

"Oh the usual," said Nearly Headless Nick, shrugging. "Wreaked havoc and mayhem. Pots and pans everywhere. Place swimming in soup. Terrified the house- elves out of their wits-"

Clang.

Hermione had knocked over her golden goblet. Pumpkin juice spread steadily over the tablecloth, staining several feet of white linen orange, but Hermione paid no attention.

"There are house-elves here?" she said, staring, horror-struck, at Nearly Headless Nick. "Here at Hogwarts?"

"Certainly," said Nearly Headless Nick, looking surprised at her reaction.  
"The largest number in any dwelling in Britain, I believe. Over a hundred."

"I've never seen one!" said Hermione.

"Well, they hardly ever leave the kitchen by day, do they?" said Nearly Headless Nick.  
"They come out at night to do a bit of cleaning - see to the fires and so on - I mean, you're not supposed to see them, are you? That's the mark of a good house-elf, isn't it, that you don't know it's there?"

Hermione stared at him.

"But they get paid?" she said.  
"They get holidays, don't they? And - and sick leave, and pensions, and everything?"

Nearly Headless Nick chortled so much that his ruff slipped and his head flopped off, dangling on the inch or so of ghostly skin and muscle that still attached it to his neck.

"Sick leave and pensions?" he said, pushing his head back onto his shoulders and securing it once more with his ruff.  
"House-elves don't want sick leave and pensions!"

Hermione looked down at her hardly touched plate of food, then put her knife and fork down upon it and pushed it away from her.

"Oh c'mon, 'Er-my-knee," said Ron, accidentally spraying Naruto with bits of Yorkshire pudding.

"Why you little - Chew, mate!" Naruto shouted.

"Oops - sorry," He swallowed. "You won't get them sick leave by starving yourself!"

"Slave labor," said Hermione, breathing hard through her nose.  
"That's what made this dinner. Slave labor."

"It's different for different species Hermione, a House-elf's greatest delight is in serving while a Forest elf will kill you if you look at them wrong." Naruto said.

"So what? They shouldn't get the bare minimum of working." Hermione shot back.

"They should get whatever the hell they want but that is the thing, they by innate nature don't want anything." Naruto said.

"Didn't you have an house-elf?" Betty asked.

"I used to, Sewanin, he was the one who taught me how to cook, clean and hunt. He wanted to serve in good clothes with salary and holidays to visit his family and I gave that to him, but his nature was to serve, you cannot fight nature for long and can never fight nurture, both told him to serve. If any day he wanted me to free him, I would have. He wasn't my servant, he was my caretaker. So am I also a slaver in your eyes?" Naruto asked, he put down his food for her to answer people around him actually recoiled, this was serious.

Hermione didn't reply but she still refused to eat another bite. Naruto completed his meal in silence.

The rain was still drumming heavily against the high, dark glass. Another clap of thunder shook the windows, and the stormy ceiling flashed, illuminating the golden plates as the remains of the first course vanished and were replaced, instantly, with puddings.

"Treacle tart, Hermione!" said Ron, deliberately wafting its smell toward her. "Spotted dick, look! Chocolate gateau!"

However Hermione gave him a look so reminiscent of Professor McGonagall that he gave up.

When the puddings too had been demolished, and the last crumbs had faded off the plates, leaving them sparkling clean, Albus Dumbledore got to his feet again. The buzz of chatter filling the Hall ceased almost at once, so that only the howling wind and pounding rain could be heard.

"So!" said Dumbledore, smiling around at them all. "Now that we are all fed and watered," ("Hmph!" said Hermione) "I must once more ask for your attention, while I give out a few notices.

"Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to tell you that the list of objects forbidden inside the castle has this year been extended to include Screaming Yo-yos, Fanged Frisbees, and Ever-Bashing Boomerangs. The full list comprises some four hundred and thirty-seven items, I believe, and can be viewed in Mr. Filch's office, if anybody would like to check it."

The corners of Dumbledore's mouth twitched. He continued,  
"As ever, I would like to remind you all that the forest on the grounds is out-of-bounds to students, as is the village of Hogsmeade to all below third year. It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."

"What!?" Harry.  
"No! I have to rejoin this year!" Naruto.

Dumbledore went on, "This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy - but I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts -"

However at that moment, there was a deafening rumble of thunder and the doors of the Great Hall banged open.

A man stood in the doorway, leaning upon a long staff, shrouded in a black traveling cloak. Every head in the Great Hall swiveled toward the stranger, suddenly brightly illuminated by a fork of lightning that flashed across the ceiling. He lowered his hood, shook out a long mane of grizzled, dark gray hair, then began to walk up toward the teachers' table.

A dull clunk echoed through the Hall on his every other step. He reached the end of the top table, turned right, and limped heavily toward Dumbledore. Another flash of lightning crossed the ceiling. Hermione gasped.

The lightning had thrown the man's face into sharp relief, and it was a face unlike any Harry had ever seen. It looked as though it had been carved out of weathered wood by someone who had only the vaguest idea of what human faces are supposed to look like, and was none too skilled with a chisel. Every inch of skin seemed to be scarred. The mouth looked like a diagonal gash, and a large chunk of the nose was missing but it was the man's eyes that made him frightening.

One of them was small, dark, and beady. The other was large, round as a coin, and a vivid, electric blue. The blue eye was moving ceaselessly, without blinking, and was rolling up, down, and from side to side, quite independently of the normal eye - and then it rolled right over, pointing into the back of the man's head, so that all they could see was whiteness.

The stranger reached Dumbledore. He stretched out a hand that was as badly scarred as his face, and Dumbhedore shook it, muttering words they couldn't hear. He seemed to be making some inquiry of the stranger, who shook his head unsmilingly and replied in an undertone. Dumbledore nodded and gestured the man to the empty seat on his right-hand side.

The stranger sat down, shook his mane of dark gray hair out of his face, pulled a plate of sausages toward him, raised it to what was left of his nose, and sniffed it. He then took a small knife out of his pocket, speared a sausage on the end of it, and began to eat. His normal eye was fixed upon the sausages, but the blue eye was still darting restlessly around in its socket, taking in the Hall and the students.

"May I introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?" said Dumbledore brightly into the silence. "Professor Moody."

It was usual for new staff members to be greeted with applause, but none of the staff or students clapped except Dumbledore and Hagrid, who both put their hands together and applauded, but the sound echoed dismally into the silence, and they stopped fairly quickly. Everyone else seemed too transfixed by Moody's bizarre appearance to do more than stare at him.

"Bloody hell it's Mad-Eye Moody." Ron said as he recognised the man.

"Alastor Moody? The Auror?" Hermione asked.

"Auror?" Dean asked as he turned to the group.

"Dark wizard catcher." Naruto said.

"Half the cells in Azkaban are filled thanks to him." Ron added.

"He's supposed to be mad as a hatter though, these days." Sheamus said.

"Yeah, lost his nerve to paranoia in old age from what I heard." Naruto said.

Dumbledore cleared his throat.

"As I was saying," he said, smiling at the sea of students before him, all of whom were still gazing transfixed at Mad-Eye Moody, "we are to have the honor of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event that has not been held for over a century. It is my very great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year."

"You're JOKING!" said Fred Weasley loudly.

The tension that had filled the Hall ever since Moody's arrival suddenly broke. Nearly everyone laughed, and Dumbledore chuckled appreciatively.

"I am not joking, Mr. Weasley," he said, "though now that you mention it, I did hear an excellent one over the summer about a troll, a hag, and a leprechaun who all go into a bar."

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat loudly.

"Er - but maybe this is not the time - no -" said Dumbledore, "where was I? Ah yes, the Triwizard Tournament - well, some of you will not know what this tournament involves, so I hope those who do know will forgive me for giving a short explanation, and allow their attention to wander freely."

"The Triwizard Tournament was first established some seven hundred years ago as a friendly competition between the three largest European schools of wizardry: Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. A champion was selected to represent each school, and the three champions competed in three magical tasks. "

"The schools took it in turns to host the tournament once every five years, and it was generally agreed to be a most excellent way of establishing ties between young witches and wizards of different nationalities - until, that is, the death toll mounted so high that the tournament was discontinued."

"Death toll?" Hermione whispered, looking alarmed.

However her anxiety did not seem to be shared by the majority of students in the Hall; many of them were whispering excitedly to one another, and Most of the others were far more interested in hearing about the tournament than in worrying about deaths that had happened hundreds of years ago.

"There have been several attempts over the centuries to reinstate the tournament,"

Dumbledore continued, "none of which has been very successful. However, our own departments of International Magical Cooperation and Magical Games and Sports have decided the time is ripe for another attempt. We have worked hard over the summer to ensure that this time, no champion will find himself or herself in mortal danger."

"The heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving with their short-listed contenders in October, and the selection of the three champions will take place at Halloween. An impartial judge will decide which students are most worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, the glory of their school, and a thousand Galleons personal prize money."

"I'm going for it!" Fred Weasley hissed down the table, his face lit with enthusiasm at the prospect of such glory and riches. He was not the only person who seemed to be visualizing himself as the Hogwarts champion.

At every House table, You could see people either gazing raptly at Dumbledore, or else whispering fervently to their neighbors. However then Dumbledore spoke again, and the Hall quieted once more.

"Eager though I know all of you will be to bring the Triwizard Cup to Hogwarts," he said, "the heads of the participating schools, along with the Ministry of Magic, have agreed to impose an age restriction on contenders this year. Only students who are of age - that is to say, seventeen years or older - will be allowed to put forward their names for consideration. This -"  
Dumbledore raised his voice slightly, for several people had made noises of outrage at these words, and the Weasley twins were suddenly looking furious,

"- is a measure we feel is necessary, given that the tournament tasks will still be difficult and dangerous, whatever precautions we take, and it is highly unlikely that students below sixth and seventh year will be able to cope with them. I will personally be ensuring that no underage student hoodwinks our impartial judge into making them Hogwarts champion."  
His light blue eyes twinkled as they flickered over Fred's and George's mutinous faces who had turned to Naruto for a scheme no doubt.

"I therefore beg you not to waste your time submitting yourself if you are under seventeen. The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving in October and remaining with us for the greater part of this year. I know that you will all extend every courtesy to our foreign guests while they are with us, and will give your whole-hearted support to the Hogwarts champion when he or she is selected, and now, finally an announcement that might cheer you lot a bit, this summer another Championship was held -"

Everyone's eyes turned to Naruto, who was feeling a bit odd to be suddenly in the spot light.

"The Wizarding Schools Potion Championship, a competition held in a certain enchanted garden. It challenges up-and-coming potioneers from different wizarding schools to prove their Potion-making skills by overcoming various challenges in the garden by brewing various potions."  
"The grand prize was a Gold Cauldron and the privilege to display their potioneering talents before the assembled crowd."

"The winner once and for all becomes part of the International Potioneer Committee, a feat which requires not only knowledge but nerve and quick thinking and I am extremely proud and delighted to announce that one of ours, Mr. Naruto U. Namikaze has won the championship for our school, let's give him a big round of applause!"

They entire school cheered as some patted his back, All the teachers even Snape for a change had a real pleasant smile on their face.

"Now off to bed!" Dumbledore finished.

"They can't do that!" said George Weasley, who had not joined the crowd moving toward the door, but was standing up and glaring at Dumbledore. "We're seventeen in April, why can't we have a shot?"

"They're not stopping me entering," said Fred stubbornly, scowling as well, at the top table.  
"The champions'll get to do all sorts of stuff you'd never be allowed to do normally. And a thousand Galleons prize money!"

"Yeah," said Ron, a faraway look on his face. "Yeah, a thousand Galleons -"

"Come on," said Hermione, "we'll be the only ones left here if you don't move."

* * *

Naruto, Betty, Ginny, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, and George set off for the entrance hall, Fred and George debating the ways in which Dumbledore might stop those who were under seventeen from entering the tournament.

"Who's this impartial judge who's going to decide who the champions are?" said Harry.

"Dunno," said Fred, "but it's them we'll have to fool. I reckon a couple of drops of Aging Potion might do it, George -"

"Dumbledore knows you're not of age, though," said Ron.

"Yeah, but he's not the one who decides who the champion is, is he?" said Fred shrewdly.  
"Sounds to me like once this judge knows who wants to enter, he'll choose the best from each school and never mind how old they are. Dumbledore's trying to stop us giving our names."

"People have died, though!" said Hermione in a worried voice as they walked through a door concealed behind a tapestry and started up another, narrower staircase.

"Yeah," said Fred airily, "but that was years ago, wasn't it? Anyway, where's the fun without a bit of risk? Hey, Naruto, what if we find out how to get 'round Dumbledore? Fancy entering?"

"Nah mates, I have had my fill of competitions for this year, but I might ask Dumbledore to put in a good word for The Owl Post, that way we could get to cover the entire thing." Naruto said, hand in hand with Betty, Ginny closely behind.

"That would be great!" Ginny said as she held her hand out for Betty to hold, Naruto let go; he was mister before these sister's, so them first.

"What about you Ron?" Fred said.

"What d'you reckon?" Ron asked Harry. "Be cool to enter, wouldn't it? But I s'pose they might want someone older - Dunno if we've learned enough - "

They made their way up to the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, which was concealed behind a large portrait of a fat lady in a pink silk dress.

"Password?" she said as they approached.

"Balderdash," said George, "a prefect downstairs told me."

The portrait swung forward to reveal a hole in the wall through which they all climbed. A crackling fire warmed the circular common room, which was full of squashy armchairs and tables.  
Hermione cast the merrily dancing flames a dark look, and Naruto distinctly heard her mutter "Slave labor" before bidding them good night and disappearing through the doorway to the girls' dormitory.

Naruto bid the two girls goodbye as well as he followed Harry, Neville and Ron to the Dormitory, he placed his stuff around his bed and then changed into a lower and went to bed.


	50. Book 4 Chapter 7:  Defence Against the Dark Arts

Next morning after his routine and a bath, Naruto collected his schedule.

"Herbology with Hufflepuff and Care for Magical creatures with Syltherin, followed by double Ancient runes? Hermione you'll be with me right?" Naruto said as he sat down.

"Yes, I will be." Hermione said.

"You're eating again, I notice -" said Ron, watching Hermione adding liberal amounts of jam to her toast too.

"I've decided there are better ways of making a stand about elf rights," said Hermione haughtily.

"Yeah. . . and you were hungry," said Ron, grinning.

"Please stop! Can you two stop fighting for ten minutes." Naruto moaned and other's around him nodded.

There was a sudden rustling noise above them, and a hundred owls came soaring through the open windows carrying the morning mail.  
An eagle stuck out amongst the owls, it dropped down near Naruto, his letters on its beak, as it dropped the letters. It helped itself to the bowl of fruit on the table. Naruto went through the letters.

"Mum, Baa, Mi-nee, Erza-nee and -" Naruto was saying.

"And?" Harry asked.

"No one." Naruto said as he placed the letters in his bag, hiding the last letter away.

They would later know that it was letter from one of his informants.

* * *

After handling Bubotubers in Herbology. Naruto followed the rest to Hagrid's hut. He was silently flipping through his book while others talked with Hagrid.

"Be'er wait fer the Slytherins, they won' want ter miss this - Blast-Ended Skrewts!" Hagrid said.

"Come again?" said Ron.

Hagrid pointed down into the crates.

"Eurgh!" squealed Lavender Brown, jumping backward.

"Eurgh" just about summed up the Blast-Ended Skrewts. They looked like deformed, shell-less lobsters, horribly pale and slimy-looking, with legs sticking out in very odd places and no visible heads.  
There were about a hundred of them in each crate, each about six inches long, crawling over one another, bumping blindly into the sides of the boxes. They were giving off a very powerful smell of rotting fish.

Every now and then, sparks would fly out of the end of a skrewt, and with a small phut, it would be propelled forward several inches.

"On'y jus' hatched," said Hagrid proudly, "so yeh'll be able ter raise 'em yerselves! Thought we'd make a bit of a project of it!"

"You really went with your heart this time, didn't ya Hagrid." Naruto said as he leaned over the barrier to look at the creatures. Hermione was peaking into the area of boxes over his shoulder.

"And why would we want to raise them?" said a cold voice.

"Because than we can see exactly how far did you fall from the way your mother raised you, maybe your's will ask for his father every time he wanted to drop shit." Naruto shot back.

"Why you -!" Draco was sneering but Naruto said.

"You and your bitches have been through this before, this time I'll hit harder." Naruto said with dull tone.

Naruto then looked around to spot Delphini standing behind them, apathetic look on her face, until she spotted Naruto who was smiling at her, she smiled back.  
The entire group moved forward to attend the class, they all ignored as Delphini came and stood next to him, none saying anything.

Draco looked at them over his shoulder and when he saw that they were doing nothing but just standing next to each other he turned back to class, Naruto didn't speak he simply placed an envelope in her arms and left to join the class.  
The class wasn't uneventful but Naruto didn't care, he just went with it. Later at lunch Naruto was the last one to show up, as he did he was interrupted by Hermione.

"Can you do me a huge favour." She asked,

"Sure." He muttered.

"Great, it's all here. Bye." She said as handed him a piece of paper and she ran off, after that nothing big happened for the next of the day.

The next day, Naruto went to the office to see Betty and Ginny working together. He smiled at them but didn't remove his eyes from Ginny, Betty also turned to stare at at her. Just as she had spotted him.

"I'll finish this in the common room, Betty, you have everything about the Dark Mark I could get from dad don't you?" Ginny said.

"Yes, I do." Betty quickly said.

"I'll leave then, totally my idea." Ginny said as she left.

"She didn't have to leave." Naruto said.

"She wanted to." Betty shot back as she got up from the table and walked in front of it to sit on it. Naruto sat next to her.

"So, I was thinking, you can go to Hogsmeade this year right?" Naruto asked.

"Yes." She answered.

"Then, I was thinking Butterbeer at Hogsmeade and some tea and snacks at Madam Puddifoot's as first date?" Naruto asked, Betty moved in front of him, grabbed his collars and kissed him, it was short.

"I'd like that." Betty said.

"Good." Naruto said as he put a hand around her neck and pulled her for a kiss, this one was longer and it involved tongue which they both used instinctively and in each other's opinion, amazingly. They didn't stop until they needed to breathe. She did not open her eyes but was smiling brightly.

"I will leave my paper on magical creatures here then." Naruto said.

"What is it about." Betty said through closed eyes.

"House-elves." Naruto replied, "I'll follow with Forest elves and then Centaurs, by then the other schools will arrive, so I'll think about the next ones then." Naruto answered.

"Hmm" Betty only hummed.

"You are just -" Naruto said as he once again kissed her briefly and the separated, "Too Damn Cute." He kissed her again and then he left.

* * *

Later that day, Naruto was peacefully resting on the couch in the common room, meaning he was lying on it half asleep, by the fireplace when Hermione showed up, right in front of his face.

"Did you do it?" She asked.

He woke up with a startle but then quickly collecting himself;

"Of course I did, I think I'll write about magical creatures with human intelligence this year, there is an entire list I can go through." He told her, she however didn't listen completely, just squealed and left, while thanking him.

Lavender and Parvati who were sitting in armchairs by the couch looked at Hermione, then him.

"She has lost it, sister." Naruto muttered to Parvati.

"You got that right sister." Parvati said to Naruto, who laid peacefully down once again.

Lavender just giggled, Naruto had an awkward and funny relation with almost everyone in his year, except Slytherin. He only had a relation with Delphini in that house.

* * *

**Thursday**

_Defence against the Dark arts_

The Gryffindor fourth years were looking forward to Moody's first lesson so much that they arrived early on Thursday lunchtime and queued up outside his classroom before the bell had even rung. The only person missing was Hermione, who turned up just in time for the lesson.

"Been in the -"

"Library." Harry finished her sentence for her. "C'mon, quick, or we won't get decent seats."

They hurried into three chairs right in front of the teacher's desk took out their copies of 'The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection' and waited, unusually quiet for their usual behaviour. Naruto sat with Neville. They fist bumped as Naruto said,

"Yo, did you know that Library just got a new assortment of Herbology books." Naruto said to Neville.

"What? Really? I will go check them out as soon as I can." Neville said with a smile.

"Tell me which one is your favourite, I'll also read that one." Naruto said, their conversation was interrupted as they heard Moody's distinctive clunking footsteps coming down the corridor, and he entered the room, looking as strange and frightening as ever. They could just see his clawed, wooden foot protruding from underneath his robes.

"You can put those away," he growled, stumping over to his desk and sitting down, "those books. You won't need them."

They returned the books to their bags, Ron looking excited.

Moody took out a register, shook his long mane of grizzled gray hair out of his twisted and scarred face, and began to call out names, his normal eye moving steadily down the list while his magical eye swiveled around, fixing upon each student as he or she answered.

"Right then," he said, when the last person had declared themselves present, "I've had a letter from Professor Lupin about this class. Seems you've had a pretty thorough grounding in tackling Dark Creatures - you've covered boggarts, Red Caps, Hinkypunks, Grindylows, Kappas, and Werewolves, is that right?"

There was a general murmur of assent.

"But you're behind - very behind - on dealing with curses," said Moody. "So I'm here to bring you up to scratch on what wizards can do to each other. I've got one year to teach you how to deal with Dark -"

"What, aren't you staying?" Ron blurted out.

Moody's magical eye spun around to stare at Ron; Ron looked extremely apprehensive, but after a moment Moody smiled - the first time Harry had seen him do so. The effect was to make his heavily scarred face look more twisted and contorted than ever, but it was nevertheless good to know that he ever did anything as friendly as smile. Ron looked deeply relieved.

"You'll be Arthur Weasley's son, eh?" Moody said. "Your father got me out of a very tight corner a few days ago - Yeah, I'm staying just the one year. Special favor to Dumbledore - One year, and then back to my quiet retirement."

He gave a harsh laugh, and then clapped his gnarled hands together.

"So - straight into it. Curses. They come in many strengths and forms. Now, according to the Ministry of Magic, I'm supposed to teach you countercurses and leave it at that. I'm not supposed to show you what illegal Dark Curses look like until you're in the sixth year. You're not supposed to be old enough to deal with it till then."

"But Professor Dumbledore's got a higher opinion of your nerves, he reckons you can cope, and I say, the sooner you know what you're up against, the better. How are you supposed to defend yourself against something you've never seen? A wizard who's about to put an illegal curse on you isn't going to tell you what he's about to do. He's not going to do it nice and polite to your face. You need to be prepared. You need to be alert and watchful. You need to put that away, Miss Brown, when I'm talking."

Lavender jumped and blushed. She had been showing Parvati her completed horoscope under the desk. Apparently Moody's magical eye could see through solid wood, as well as out of the back of his head.

"So - do any of you know which curses are most heavily punished by wizarding law?"

Several hands rose tentatively into the air.

"Er," said Ron tentatively, "my dad told me about one - Is it called the Imperius Curse, or something?"

"Ah, yes," said Moody appreciatively. "Your father would know that one. Gave the Ministry a lot of trouble at one time, the Imperius Curse."

Moody got heavily to his mismatched feet, opened his desk drawer, and took out a glass jar. Three large black spiders were scuttling around inside it. Harry felt Ron recoil slightly next to him - Ron hated spiders.

Moody reached into the jar, caught one of the spiders, and held it in the palm of his hand so that they could all see it. He then pointed his wand at it and muttered, "Imperio!"

The spider leapt from Moody's hand on a fine thread of silk and began to swing backward and forward as though on a trapeze. It stretched out its legs rigidly, then did a back flip, breaking the thread and landing on the desk, where it began to cartwheel in circles. Moody jerked his wand, and the spider rose onto two of its hind legs and went into what was unmistakably a tap dance.

Everyone was laughing - everyone except Moody and Naruto, Moody did notice this.

"Think it's funny, do you?" he growled. "You'd like it, would you, if I did it to you?"

The laughter died away almost instantly.

"Total control," said Moody quietly as the spider balled itself up and began to roll over and over.  
"I could make it jump out of the window, drown itself, throw itself down one of your throats -"

Ron gave an involuntary shudder.

"Years back, there were a lot of witches and wizards being controlled by the Imperius Curse," said Moody, and Naruto knew he was talking about the days in which Voldemort had been all-powerful. "Some job for the Ministry, trying to sort out who was being forced to act, and who was acting of their own free will."

"The Imperius Curse can be fought, and I'll be teaching you how, but it takes real strength of character, and not everyone's got it. Better avoid being hit with it if you can. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" he barked, and everyone jumped.

Moody picked up the somersaulting spider and threw it back into the jar.  
"Anyone else know one? Another illegal curse?"

Hermione's hand shot up, this was not a surprise but Naruto's because he didn't answer in classes ever and Neville's because he didn't speak much in class, except maybe Herbology. So their hands did surprise others.

"Yes?" said Moody, his magical eye rolling right over to fix on Neville.

"There's one - the Cruciatus Curse," said Neville in a small but distinct voice.

Moody was looking very intently at Neville, this time with both eyes.

"Your name's Longbottom?" he said, his magical eye swooping down to check the register again.

Neville nodded nervously, but Moody made no further inquiries. Turning back to the class at large, he reached into the jar for the next spider and placed it upon the desktop, where it remained motionless, apparently too scared to move.

"The Cruciatus Curse," said Moody. "Needs to be a bit bigger for you to get the idea," he said, pointing his wand at the spider. "Engorgio!"

The spider swelled. It was now larger than a tarantula. Abandoning all pretense, Ron pushed his chair backward, as far away from Moody's desk as possible.

Moody raised his wand again, pointed it at the spider, and muttered, "Crucio!"

At once, the spider's legs bent in upon its body; it rolled over and began to twitch horribly, rocking from side to side. No sound came from it, but others were sure that if it could have given voice, it would have been screaming.

Moody did not remove his wand, and the spider started to shudder and jerk more violently -  
"Stop it!" Hermione said shrilly.

She was looking at Naruto and Neville, the class followed her vision to see Neville's hands were clenched upon the desk in front of him, his knuckles white, his eyes wide and horrified.  
While, Naruto was completely opposite, his body was relaxed and his eyes had a far off look. As soon as Moody stopped, Naruto's demeanour changed, it was like his soul returned to his body.

"Reducio." Moody muttered, and the spider shrank back to its proper size. He put it back into the jar.

"Pain." said Moody softly.  
"You don't need thumbscrews or knives to torture someone if you can perform the Cruciatus Curse. - That one was very popular once too. Most open their mouths within 5 hours, half of the rest beg for death by the 10th, almost everyone loses their minds forever by the 20th, the rumour goes one survived this for 18 hours without even reaching the first point, and he is in this room." He looked at Naruto.

"Right - anyone know any others?"

Hermione's hand shook slightly as, for the third time, she raised it into the air.

"Yes?" said Moody, looking at her.

"Avada Kedavra." Hermione whispered.

Several people looked uneasily around at her, excluding Naruto, he was looking at his palm.

"Ah," said Moody, another slight smile twisting his lopsided mouth.  
"Yes, the last and worst. Avada Kedavra - the Killing Curse."

He put his hand into the glass jar, and almost as though it knew what was coming, the third spider scuttled frantically around the bottom of the jar, trying to evade Moody's fingers, but he trapped it, and placed it upon the desktop. It started to scuttle frantically across the wooden surface.

Moody raised his wand.

"Avada Kedavra!" Moody roared.

There was a flash of blinding green light and a rushing sound, as though a vast, invisible something was soaring through the air - instantaneously the spider rolled over onto its back, unmarked, but unmistakably dead. Several of the students stifled cries; Ron had thrown himself backward and almost toppled off his seat as the spider skidded toward him.

Moody swept the dead spider off the desk onto the floor.

"Not nice," he said calmly. "Not pleasant. And there's no countercurse. There's no blocking it. Only one known person has ever survived it, and he's sitting right in front of me."

They all looked at Harry, Naruto knew most of what they were taught at Hogwarts but just in case there was something more he could learn, he would stay, first time in his life instead of staying Naruto simply got up and left. Others quietly looked at his retreating form.

"Naruto -" Hermione was saying.

"Let him, Cruciatus Curse hurts the mind the most, this must have brought back unpleasant memories, I thought he'd attack me as I performed it, let him be alone for a while." Moody said quietly to Hermione, the class could only wonder, if it was so difficult to watch, just how horrible must it feel. Neville especially thought the same way.

* * *

After class the trio first ran into Neville who was called by Moody for tea and then tried to find Naruto but couldn't, he wasn't at dinner either, they asked Betty and she thought he'd be at his favourite spot but he wasn't there either, they got worried as he didn't return to the Dormitory, so they did the intelligent thing and contacted McGonagall.  
They told her everything, her reaction was exactly as they expected. She went into a white fury and kept screaming an extremely angry rant, send them off to dormitory and went on her way. She was walking towards a portrait when she ran into Peeves, she instantly barked.

"I don't have time Peeves!"

"You are looking for Paruto?" He asked.

She was quite shocked when her guide turned out to be the last person - ghost she would ever have expected, he told her Naruto was on top of astronomy tower and then she practically ran up there and when she reached, she saw Naruto staring at the sky, with a far off look.

However he wasn't the alone, Dumbledore was also standing there but he was still as a stone, not saying anything and standing a few feet behind him. Naruto didn't seem to notice them or if he did, he didn't show that he cared. Dumbledore looked at her and then turned back to keep looking at Naruto.

"Naruto?" She said in a low tone.

"18 hours." He said, She flinched but continued.

"We know."

"You don't." He instantly shot back and continued,

"For 18 hours - actually about 14 hours, even they could not keep on going for 18 hours and they switched to 'muggle methods' in between but even then, when every inch of my body felt like I was being cut with a red hot knife but without blood, without relief, without hope. Most people would have survived through this type of thing, thinking if - when they survived, they would get to go home, get to meet the people they love, I didn't. I didn't have family, at least till then I didn't. There was no way for me to be with the one I loved, but then, then I thought about my friends"

"First it was Kurama, I thought she'll kill me if I died like this, then I thought of Amaterasu, her cries wouldn't motivate anyone on that literal god forsaken land, then who'd hear Hermione's nerd problems, who'd help Ron realise he's a light source, even if he's in the shadows right now. Who'd help Neville realise that he's a Gryffindor more than most and who's help clueless Harry through this damn world."

"Naruto- "

"There aren't many promises that I've made, but I made those promises to myself, and there was another promise I've made, to end the curses, the one I made it for and to might be gone but I'm not going to break my promises and I'm sure as hell not going to give up."

"I was ready to die, because that's the worst they could do to me, but now I have my big family, those friends matter more to me than anything and I might actually be falling in love again, what I thought to be impossible, all of this, all that I gained after the island, I was ready to leave before even giving this a chance, I never thought about it until now, I would have died not really living but only surviving. I am not ready for that anymore." Naruto finished as he looked back at them, He gave a broken smile and then said,

"I am sorry if I worried you guys." He finished.

"It's alright, return to your dorm for now." McGonagall could only mutter.

"Goodnight, Headmaster, Professor." With that he left.

Both of them looked at his retreating form and then McGonagall said,

"Albus."

"I know Minerva, I always knew, He might have escaped that island alive but that island will not leave him, not for a while, maybe not ever, I just wanted to make sure he didn't hurt himself." Dumbledore said, McGonagall however was stuck on one word.

"Hurt himself? Is there a chance?!"

"Was, not anymore, that I am glad about." Dumbledore said as he bid his goodbye and left as well, Minerva also left after one last glance at the view.


	51. Book 4 Chapter 8: A Date and The Arrival

Naruto returned to the common room to find all of his friends waiting there for him. He thanked them all for waiting for him but told everyone that it was all really painful flashes of memories, he needed to be alone and that's why he left, soon everyone left apart from Hermione and Betty.

"Tell us the truth." Hermione said as she sat on the couch, looking at him as he sat on the armchair, Betty was sitting on the far side of the couch near him.

"I was ready to die -"  
He then told them everything as it had been, leaving out only the part where he changed the 'falling in love' to 'interested in another person'.  
By the time it was over all three of them were crying, Naruto looked at there crying faces and realised, he really was gifted. He got up and hugged both of them tightly.

They returned the notion and whispered sweet nothings in each other's ears and after that Naruto left first, exhausted.  
Betty and Hermione were collecting their stuff after he lost, Betty seemed a little lost in thought as she did so, Hermione saw this and said;

"You realised, didn't you? that 'interested' part meant -"  
"He's falling in love with me." Betty said as they did the rest of the packing quietly and they went to their dorms.

Not a lot happened after that, people went about their school lives.

Some of the notable things that happened was that in one of Moody's classes was about trying to resist the Imperius curse, none of the students could fight it. Harry was the longest and Moody had been extremely impressed when Harry almost beat it, until it was Naruto's turn.

"Imperio."

Nothing changed for others as Moody said.

"Hold your ears and pull them as hard as you can."

"Won't." Naruto replied.

Every single eye in the class had went wide as Naruto didn't even phase under the curse, he just smirked and walked back to his seat.

"Unbelievable!" was all Moody could mutter.

* * *

Apart from that one class, all the fourth years had noticed a definite increase in the amount of work they were required to do this term. Professor McGonagall explained why this was the case, when the class gave a particularly loud groan at the amount of Transfiguration homework she had assigned.

"You are now entering the most important phase of your magical education!" she told them, her eyes glinting dangerously behind her square spectacles.  
"Your Ordinary Wizarding Levels are drawing closer -"

"We don't take O.W.L.s till next year!" said Dean Thomas indignantly.

"Maybe not, Thomas, but believe me, you need all the preparation you can get! Miss Granger and Mr. Namikaze remain the only two in this class who have managed to turn a hedgehog into satisfactory pincushions. I might remind you that your pincushion, Thomas, still curls up in fright if anyone approaches it with a pin!"

Then this morning in Study of Ancient Runes, the students were made into partners, first they had to completely remember a book full of symbols and then had to create a rune system of their own, give it to their partner and decipher the one given to them by their partner.

Hermione had to go attend another class so she had left immediately after the class had ended, along with other students in that class leaving the rest of the students to collect the pairings from the professor.

During lunch, Naruto with a defeated look and two S.P.E.W badged on his robes, both of which he bought only to show Hermione support and keep her off his back, entered the great hall and sat down between Hermione and Betty.

"What happened?" Betty asked, ever since the whole curse debacle she had been extra worried about him.

"So what are the pairings? Thank you for going to his office to collect for me." Hermione said.

"He looks like someone poisoned him." Ron finally stated the obvious.

"Close." Naruto muttered as he placed a roll of parchment on the table, the rest read the assignment and looked at him apologetically, except Betty.

"You should be able to do this!" She whispered.

"Oh! don't get me wrong!" He said loudly, as he sprang up.  
"The Book, I was already half done, the symbols that I have to create, I already have a crude idea but the third thing is my problem." He muttered as he let his head fall on Betty's shoulder.

"Whose your partner?" Harry asked.

"I'll give you one guess." Naruto said as he looked Hermione directly in the eyes, they all got the message.

"Oh no! I feel so sorry for you!" Harry said.

"Damn! You got played mate!" Ron said.

"I am not that bad."

"She's not that bad."  
Hermione and Betty said at the same time.

"Yes, you are, it will be something simple like copying text from a book and you would turn it into an entire research." Ron shot back instantly.

"It's alright Hermione, I wouldn't like you any other way. It's just that I am sad that this would take longer than I hoped, that's it." Naruto said.

"Thanks." Hermione said.

"A lot longer. Oh my god. It will take days." Naruto muttered, once again returning to the same defeated look.

"Naruto!!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Sorry! I'm just kidding." Naruto laughed as he turned to Betty.

"He's just saying that because he cares about your feelings, I don't, and I say working against you sucks!" Ron said.  
Hermione and Ron glared at each other, while the rest thought.

'Not this again.'

* * *

They had once again returned to same tedious routine, Professor Binns, had them writing weekly essays on the goblin rebellions of the eighteenth century.

Professor Snape was forcing them to research antidotes. They took this one seriously, as he had hinted that he might be poisoning one of them before Christmas to see if their antidote worked.  
Professor Flitwick had asked them to read three extra books in preparation for their lesson on Summoning Charms.

Even Hagrid was adding to their workload. The Blast-Ended Skrewts were growing at a remarkable pace given that nobody had yet discovered what they ate. Hagrid was delighted, and as part of their "project," suggested that they come down to his hut on alternate evenings to observe the skrewts and make notes on their extraordinary behavior.

* * *

One day Naruto was returning from his free period and was on his way to the office when his path was blocked due to a large amount of crowd. Naruto spotted the trio returning from something and joined them.

They nodded at him and Ron tiptoed to read what the crowd was reading.

* * *

TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT

THE DELEGATIONS FROM BEAUXBATONS AND DURMSTRANG WILL BE ARRIVING AT 6 O'CLOCK ON FRIDAY THE 30TH OF OCTOBER.

LESSONS WILL END HALF AN HOUR EARLY STUDENTS WILL RETURN THEIR BAGS AND BOOKS TO THEIR DORMITORIES AND ASSEMBLE IN FRONT OF THE CASTLE TO GREET OUR GUESTS BEFORE THE WELCOMING FEAST.

* * *

"Only a week away!" said Ernie Macmillan of Hufflepuff, emerging from the crowd, his eyes gleaming.  
"I wonder if Cedric knows? Think I'll go and tell him -"

"Cedric?" said Ron blankly as Ernie hurried off.

"Diggory," said Harry. "He must be entering the tournament."

"That idiot, Hogwarts champion?" said Ron as they pushed their way through the chattering crowd toward the staircase.

"He's not an idiot. You just don't like him because he beat Gryffindor at Quidditch," said Hermione.  
"I've heard he's a really good student - and he's a prefect."

She spoke as though this settled the matter.

"Well, being prefect not my choice of judgement, I still say, he's a nice guy, talked to him a couple of times." Naruto added.

The appearance of the sign in the entrance hall had a marked effect upon the inhabitants of the castle.

During the following week, there seemed to be only one topic of conversation, no matter where You went: the Triwizard Tournament. Rumours were flying from student to student like Covid-19:1  
Who was going to try for Hogwarts champion?

What the tournament would involve?

How the students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang differed from themselves?

The castle seemed to be undergoing an extra-thorough cleaning. Several grimy portraits had been scrubbed, much to the displeasure of their subjects, who sat huddled in their frames muttering darkly and wincing as they felt their raw pink faces.

The suits of armor were suddenly gleaming and moving without squeaking, and Argus Filch, the caretaker, was behaving so ferociously to any students who forgot to wipe their shoes that he terrified a pair of first-year girls into hysterics.

Other members of the staff seemed oddly tense too.

"Longbottom, kindly do not reveal that you can't even perform a simple Switching Spell in front of anyone from Durmstrang!" Professor McGonagall barked at the end of one particularly difficult lesson, during which Neville had accidentally transplanted his own ears onto a cactus.

However for Naruto, that wasn't the thing that made him jumpy, the first Hogsmeade visit this year was on his birthday and because it was going to be the day he took Betty out for their first date, he was very nervous and to face the fight, he had to ask for help from the two girls that he hoped could help him.

_Hermione and Kurama._

"You look like a homeless person."

"I'm in my signature hoodie."

"So you always look like a homeless person, change your clothes into anything else and your golden."

"She is not going to be much help, can you suggest something more productive Hermione?"

"Anything is fine but a jacket is necessary." Hermione said.

"I always have Fireseeds in pocket and I can just activate sun. I don't get cold easily, So a jacket would just be bulky and it's October, what kind of person doesn't wear a jacket out?" Naruto said.

Hermione face palmed. Kurama snickered.

"It won't help Ms. Bushy. He's hopeless."

"I agree." Hermione said.

"No! Just tell me what to do!"

So after 15 minutes, dressed in his orange hoodie and black jeans with a white jumper and sneakers he left for the great hall. There he saw Betty dressed in black jeans, and a white kurta with grey sweater over it. He smiled at her and said.

"You look nice."

"You do know it's not important to comment on how I look. We don't need to play in those stereotypes. However Thank you." Betty said as she smiled.

"Of course, so shall we, my lady?"

He held his hand out for her to take.

"Yes."

And she did.

They both walked towards the Three Broomsticks hand in hand and talking about Betty. Since he had shown her most about him he had suggested that they work on knowing her, so agreeing they had chosen to talk about her and her family, her favourite things, her least favourite things. Betty would occasionally ask him about his favourite and least favourite things.

They had not realised when they had walked in the Three Broomsticks, drank their butterbeer and were now walking towards Madam Puddifoot's. They walked in looked around at all the couples. A feeling of awkwardness washed over both of them at what they spotted.

Multiple students they knew were practically stuck to each other inside the shop and it was Naruto that spoke;

"Uhm, I didn't realise. It was this - want to go somewhere else."

Betty's reply in approval couldn't come any faster and they left. They wandered around a bit more and then Betty asked.

"Every morning you leave earlier than everybody else, where do you go?"

"Ah! I run around the castle." Naruto answered.

"Don't take it wrong but I don't think running has this much effect." Betty said, while looking him over. He chuckled and said,

"Well, it's a bit more than running, but - you know what? If you want I can show you. A easier path, you might meet my Forbidden Forest pals as well."

To his great delight Betty nodded and they both walked back to the castle but instead of going in. They turned around and made it to a set of stones on the bank of Black lake.

"This is my starting point. I jog till here and then put some music on and then start running from here come on!" He said as he led her inside the Forest.

They both walked through a very difficult area, Naruto suddenly stopped, maybe a couple of miles from the castle. They were among giant trees now. Their trunks was bigger in width than Hagrid and they were minimum 30 feet high.

"Is - this - where you - turn around." Betty said, while trying to catch her breath.

"What? No! We haven't even started yet. I wanted to show you something I found here. Don't tell anyone about this one."

She panted and nodded.

He walked towards one of the trees and knocked on it eight times. To her great surprise a knob grew on the trunk and a 4 feet high and 4 feet wide curved gate became visible in it. He turned the knob and the gate opened and they walked inside.

Inside wasn't anything like she could imagine. It was almost as big as the Great Hall in the Hogwarts castle. It was filled with random things. She walked in further to inspect it in amazement.

"I'm guessing this was a hideout, during the Goblin rebellion. Nobody would inspect Goblins to nest so close to Hogwarts and they couldn't disclose this to anyone considering.

One, the advance level undetectable Extension Charm, if wizards knew Goblins had done this, they would be under a lot of heat and second, Goblins don't trust anyone. Not even their own kind. I'm certain, not a lot of people know about this place. I found this in my second year, took some doing but I was able to make sure that nobody but me can access it." Naruto told her.

Betty was awed at Naruto's mind and said.

"You can call this a fox hole, You know, a secret safe house." Betty said.

Naruto laughed and muttered.

"A fox hole huh? Sounds awesome."

"Anyway, Let's go. There is a lot more I have to show you."

They both moved out and the door disappeared behind them. Then they moved through a lot more dangerous and difficult path and finally came upon a set of streams. They were walking on a log bridge over the streams when Betty asked him.

"That's a lot of streams, I didn't know there was so much fresh water in the Forbidden Forest?"

"Yeah, well forest rumour goes that there is actually a waterfall in here somewhere but it's in Centaur territory. So I've never seen it." Naruto said as he helped her through the last steps.

"Speaking of Centaurs, Do you know the Centaurs in the area?" She asked as he stood next to him.

"Oh yeah, I do. I have even helped the female centaurs with a lot of things like, herbs, clothes and cooking. They are herbivores and they didn't know the pleasure of spices and cooking, I showed it to them, anyway I have also helped solve some disputes among the creatures in the forest. I am a Knight, so every creature inside this Forest knows me, and I love all of them as siblings. Apart from Bane, that asshole can suck it."

He told her as a bottle appeared out of nowhere and he filled it with water.

"What's a Knight."

"Ah! It's basically a non government society of people who love nature electing people to act in different area on their behalf."

"I see, wait, you have helped them so many times and they still didn't let you inside their territory, Why?"

"I never asked and a word from the wise. Never ask Centaurs, Forest Elves, Dwarfs and any other warrior type community of beings for entrance in their territory. You can ask for shelter, they would bring everything to you but never In their territory. It's wrong." Naruto answered.

They then continued on their path. It was more than 45 minutes later that they reached a small pond. The castle was finally visible from the canopy.

"This is where Unicorns take a bath in the morning. I meet them here, play with them for 15 minutes and then run back that way. This is also known as 'The Court Of The Kitsune'. If they need help this is where they come. I would invite everyone to meet but if we don't hurry now. We will be late, and Filch will kill us."

They both took a shortcut that Naruto knew and reached the edge near Hagrid's hut but before they could appear from the trees. Naruto was pulled back and pinned on a tree by Betty.

"This was a nice first date."

She started to kiss him and without anyone to interrupt the two of them ended up making out so long that they arrived late and had to serve an hour in Detention, but the smiles on both their faces said that the detention was just a small cost for the pleasure.

* * *

During breakfast on the morning of the thirtieth of October, they found that the Great Hall had been decorated overnight.

Enormous silk banners hung from the walls, each of them representing a Hogwarts House: red with a gold lion for Gryffiindor, blue with a bronze eagle for Ravenclaw, yellow with a black badger for Hufflepuff, and green with a silver serpent for Slytherin.

Behind the teacher's table, the largest banner of all bore the Hogwarts coat of arms: lion, eagle, badger, and snake united around a large letter H.

Naruto was walking towards the great hall when, McGonagall ambushed him.

"Ahh!" Naruto exclamied as she suddenly appeared around the corner.

"Damn Professor, you've got cat feet." Naruto tried to say with a straight face but a smile broke out none the less.

"Amusing as always Mr. Namikaze, Headmaster wants to see you in his office. He will be in his office all day you can go as soon as you are free." She told him with a smile and left when he nodded.

He went to breakfast where he ate as fast as he could and headed to Dumbledore's office straight away.  
He reached the office door within two minutes and knocked, the gate opened and he saw Barty Crouch and Dumbledore talking, he also spotted Barty holding the latest copy of 'The Owl Post'.

"I am sorry, I can come back later."N

Naruto said as he thought Dumbledore might not have expected him so early.

"No, no, it's good that you came right now, Barty can tell you the news himself." Dumbledore said.

Naruto nodded as he stepped in,

"Yes, Mr. Namikaze, I started looking through 'The Owl Post' just last year, after the Sirius Black Debacle, and I was extremely impressed by how your group represented stories. Also the Photographs, did you take them yourself?"

"Yes sir, I did."

"Amazing! The Photographs and all, better than 'The Prophet' in so many accounts, posting only the facts, since you are the senior student among the group, I thought we will inform you about this, we wanted you to cover the Triwizard Cup officially and get paid doing it of course. You can do whatever you want as long as you have Dumbledore's approval. How does that sound?"  
Barty finished with a smile, it appeared genuine and he seemed to have recovered from World Cup from the looks of it but Naruto was too dumbstruck to say anything apart from,

"Hell yeah!"

* * *

Betty, Luna and Ginny were gathered in the office at the moment.

Naruto had told them to gather here and said that what he wanted to tell them was amazing and now that everyone was gathered, he was just standing there smirking at them like an idiot.

"So, what is it?" Luna asked.

"You look dumber than usual." Ginny quipped.

"Hey! He's my boyfriend and he looks like that all the time, it's cute." Betty told Ginny.

"First of all, I'll get my revenge for the dumb comment. Thank you Betty, and finally Luna, I'm just trying to register the 'before' in memory." Naruto said.

"Are you done?" Ginny asked him.

"Yes! Alright, How much will you like to earn money for every issue of 'The Owl Post' we do this year?" Naruto said, he was trying to build up to it.

"What are you talking about?" Betty said, Leaning forward, Luna and Ginny doing the same.

"Barty Crouch, Minister for the Department of International Magical Cooperation, had just told me that we are officially covering the Triwizard cup, meaning we are getting paid for it! We will create the main copy which will be printed and distributed by the ministry and we will get a large part of the profits from the sales!" He finished.  
The girls went from dumbfounded to excited to actively cheering very fast and after a few minutes, when they settled down, he spoke once again.

"I already have everyone's tasks figured out, Betty you are on interviews, before and after." She nodded her head fast.

"From what we have gathered so far from history, these are all games, meaning Ginny's territory, Ginny I believe everybody from your family is involved so use them, get us information that nobody else has but we won't put them out until we are sure, it doesn't ruin the game, alright?"

"Absolutely!" Ginny said, she had one of the toughest jobs but the best one.

"Luna every time there are Magical creatures involved in these games, I asked Mr. Crouch, he was cryptic but he confirmed this time creatures are also involved in every round, so from now on you are in Magical Creatures detail."

Luna didn't say anything but gave a huge smile, so huge that her eyes closed and nodded furiously.

"And I am going to Photograph the hell out of this, but we all have to wear these." Naruto took out four Black bands that had T.O.P in White on it. He continued.

"These will confirm that we are the ones that belong to 'The Owl Post', so that everyone talks to us as representatives, alright." Naruto said as he handed one band to each girl.

"What about you, no way you are going to remove the Kitsune band." Betty said.

"I'll wear this below it and only when needed, Now that everyone has accepted there tasks, let's roll!" He said as the girls cheered with him.

* * *

There was a pleasant feeling of anticipation in the air the next day.

Nobody was very attentive in lessons, being much more interested in the arrival that evening of the people from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang.

Now in the afternoon, the Heads of Houses were ordering their students into lines.

"Weasley, straighten your hat,"

Professor McGonagall snapped at Ron.

"Miss Patil, take that ridiculous thing out of your hair."

Parvati scowled and removed a large ornamental butterfly from the end of her plait.

"Follow me, please," said Professor McGonagall.  
"First years in front - no pushing -"

They filed down the steps and lined up in front of the castle.  
It was a cold, clear evening; dusk was falling and a pale, transparent-looking moon was already shining over the Forbidden Forest.  
Ron, Harry and Hermione were in the fourth row from the front.

"I get it is her nature to be snappy but why isn't she snapping at him!"  
Ron said as he pointed at Naruto who was standing a few feet in front of everyone, holding a camera in his hands, clicking pictures of the crowd.

Sometimes focusing on some people, he had heard Ron's banter and smirked from his place, He was the only one dressed in normal robes.

"Cause I am clicking your pictures, bub." Naruto answered.

"Yeah sure, Special attention I tell you." Ron muttered. Naruto heard this and smirked.

"Professor McGonagall ~! Ron's sticking out and ruining the shot."

Just as the words left Naruto's mouth, Ron's eyes went wide while everyone, even Harry and Hermione, within earshot of this started laughing, which intensified when they heard.

"RONALD WEASLEY!"

"I wasn't!" Ron said as he muttered something that included 'murder' under his breath. Naruto chuckled and clicked a photo of Ron like this, a photo that will be known as Red Ron in the future.

Just then Dumbledore called out from the back row where he stood with the other teachers;

"Aha! Unless I am very much mistaken, the delegation from Beauxbatons approaches!"

"Where?" said many students eagerly, all looking in different directions.

"There!" yelled Naruto, pointing over the forest and he started taking pictures, also starting to move back as the object got closer.

Something large, much larger than a broomstick - or, indeed, a hundred broomsticks - was hurtling across the deep blue sky toward the castle, growing larger all the time.

"It's a dragon!" shrieked one of the first years, losing her head completely.

"Don't be stupid - it's a flying house!" said Dennis Creevey.

Dennis's guess was closer.

As the gigantic black shape skimmed over the treetops of the Forbidden Forest and the lights shining from the castle windows hit it, they saw a gigantic, powder blue, horse-drawn carriage, the size of a large house, soaring toward them, pulled through the air by a dozen winged horses named Abraxans, all palominos, and each the size of an elephant.

The front three rows of students drew backward as the carriage hurtled ever lower, coming in to land at a tremendous speed - then, with an almighty crash that made Neville jump backwards onto a Slytherin fifth year's foot, the horses' hooves, larger than dinner plates, hit the ground.  
A second later, the carriage landed too, bouncing upon its vast wheels, while the golden horses tossed their enormous heads and rolled large, fiery red eyes.

A girl in pale blue robes jumped down from the carriage, bent forward, fumbled for a moment with something on the carriage floor, and unfolded a set of golden steps.

She sprang back respectfully.

Then a shining, high-heeled black shoe emerging from the inside of the carriage - a shoe the size of a child's sled - followed, almost immediately, by the largest woman Naruto had ever seen in his life. He knew this woman from Flamel's funeral 3 years ago,

A few people gasped.

However Naruto kept taking Photographs. He kept going as more girls stepped out and entered the castle, shivering but still looking good.

After the girls from Beauxbatons entered the castle, Naruto walked up to Professor McGonagall to show her the pictures.

She was verbally impressed by them, and very loud as she occasionally called the other teachers to show them their pictures.

Betty was smiling happily for Naruto but then turned red as a tomato when she heard Professor Sprouts comment.

"Awful lot of pictures of Elizabeth, don't ya think?" the girls that stood near Betty just looked at her and started giggling.

Naruto just walked back at the front, without matching Betty's eyes which were no doubt on him.

He did the same thing when boys from Durmstrang walked by them, he went in after others, finally joining everybody in the Great hall, Betty and Ginny, both of whom had stayed back for him and came next to him.

"Why did you do that?" Betty moaned.

"Show me mine." Ginny said as she had actually posed for some with her friends.

"So you mean, you don't want this one?" Naruto asked as he showed Betty a picture of her winking at him with a smile, it was a magical picture, it showed her looking at him and then winking.  
She blushed and then stepped on his left side and pinched him on the hand, only because his right one was injured.

He muttered a 'ow' as he continued showing Ginny her pictures.

Finally everyone settled in the Great hall, Beauxbaton girls at Ravenclaw table and Durnstrang at Slytherin's. Hagrid, Bagman and Crouch showed up.

They all enjoyed their food with Naruto sitting at the front of the table with the first years, who kept pointing and talking about him, but he didn't care.  
He just finished his meal in silence amongst the first years and got ready when Dumbledore started speaking.

"The moment has come." said Dumbledore, smiling around at the sea of upturned faces.  
"The Triwizard Tournament is about to start. I would like to say a few words of explanation before we bring in the casket just to clarify the procedure that we will be following this year."

"But first, let me introduce, for those who do not know them, Mr. Bartemius Crouch, Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation"

There was a smattering of polite applause -  
"and Mr. Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports."

There was a much louder round of applause for Bagman than for Crouch, perhaps because of his fame as a Beater, or simply because he looked so much more likable.

He acknowledged it with a jovial wave of his hand. Bartemius Crouch did not smile or wave when his name was announced.

"Mr. Bagman and Mr. Crouch have worked tirelessly over the last few months on the arrangements for the Triwizard Tournament -"  
Dumbledore continued;

"- and they will be joining myself, Professor Karkaroff, and Madame Maxime on the panel that will judge the Champions efforts."

At the mention of the word "champions" the attentiveness of the listening students seemed to sharpen.

Perhaps Dumbledore had noticed their sudden stillness, for he smiled as he said,  
"The casket, then, if you please, Mr. Filch."

Filch, who had been lurking unnoticed in a far corner of the Hall, now approached Dumbledore carrying a great wooden chest encrusted with jewels.

It looked extremely old.

A murmur of excited interest rose from the watching students; Dennis Creevey actually stood on his chair to see it properly, but, being so tiny, his head hardly rose above anyone else's.

"The instructions for the tasks the Champions will face this year have already been examined by Mr. Crouch and Mr. Bagman," said Dumbledore as Filch placed the chest carefully on the table before him,  
"- and they have made the necessary arrangements for each challenge. There will be three tasks, spaced throughout the school year, and they will test the champions in many different ways - their magical prowess - their daring - their powers of deduction - and, of course, their ability to cope with danger."

At this last word, the Hall was filled with a silence so absolute that nobody seemed to be breathing.

"As you know, three Champions compete in the tournament -"

Dumbledore went on calmly,  
"- one from each of the participating schools. They will be marked on how well they perform each of the Tournament tasks and the Champion with the highest total after task three will win the Triwizard Cup. The Champions will be chosen by an impartial selector: the Goblet of Fire."

Dumbledore now took out his wand and tapped three times upon the top of the casket. The lid creaked slowly open.

Dumbledore reached inside it and pulled out a large, roughly hewn wooden cup. It would have been entirely unremarkable had it not been full to the brim with dancing blue-white flames.

Dumbledore closed the casket and placed the goblet carefully on top of it, where it would be clearly visible to everyone in the Hall. Naruto started clicking pictures once again. Dumbledore smiled at him, and continued.

"Anybody wishing to submit themselves as Champion must write their name and school clearly upon a slip of parchment and drop it into the goblet," said Dumbledore.

"Aspiring Champions have twenty-four hours in which to put their names forward. Tomorrow night, Halloween, the goblet will return the names of the three it has judged most worthy to represent their schools. The goblet will be placed in the entrance hall tonight, where it will be freely accessible to all those wishing to compete."

"To ensure that no underage student yields to temptation -"  
"I will be drawing an Age Line around the Goblet of Fire once it has been placed in the entrance hall. Nobody under the age of seventeen will be able to cross this line."

"Finally, I wish to impress upon any of you wishing to compete that this tournament is not to be entered into lightly. Once a Champion has been selected by the Goblet of Fire, he or she is obliged to see the tournament through to the end. "

"The placing of your name in the goblet constitutes a binding magical contract. There can be no change of heart once you have become a Champion. "

"Please be very sure, therefore, that you are wholeheartedly prepared to play before you drop your name into the goblet. Now, I think it is time for bed. Good night to you all."

Naruto stayed behind with the teachers, Dumbledore noticed this and walked towards him.

"Not going?" Dumbledore asked.

"I wanted pictures of everyone who will participate, so I thought about placing my camera with an enchantment by the Goblet, so that it will take photographs of everyone who enter, those who get selected, I can post their photographs in 'The Owl Post', and those who don't get selected will have a proof of the fact that at least they tried." Naruto said,

Ludo who was listening, on this said,

"That's a brilliant idea."

Hearing this others also walked near them to know what was going on and Naruto told them the same thing they all agreed on this and Madam Maxime, asked one of her students to stay behind, this girl was one who had come to the Gryffindor table for something and talked with Ron and Harry.

"Alright!"  
Naruto said as he finished setting up the camera on a tripod stand, Naruto then pointed to Hagrid.

"Professor, mind standing right in front of the camera."  
Hagrid complied with a smile, Naruto then pointed to the girl.

"Miss, you can go now." She nodded with a very beautiful smile and walked through the age line that Dumbledore had set up, as soon as she dropped her parchment into the fire, the camera flashed.  
Naruto instantly waved his wand over the camera and a Polaroid appeared in his hand, he handed it to Crouch to examine. He raised a brow, impressed.

It handed it to the others, it did not show Hagrid's belly as one would have expected, it only showed the girl putting her name in, on the White of the Polaroid, current Time and number one was visible.

"So, this works, thanks Professor and miss - " he dragged off.

"Fleur Delacour." As she was handed her Polaroid.

"Miss Fleur, I have to apologise and say that I cannot give that to you until after the Champion selection, so..." he extended his arm to get the photos, she gave it to him with a smile, and the group started to disperse.


	52. Book 4 Chapter 9: The Goblet of Fire

Next day, after Naruto woken up at his usual time and running around the castle, he was on his way back where he usually passed Hagrid's hut.

Sometimes Hagrid would be awake and they would share a small chat, mostly about the weather and classes of the day, unlike the trio who visited him occasionally, Naruto had become the man's friend by running into each other.

Other days his Hut would be closed and he would be sleeping, that happened mostly on holidays like today, Halloween would be one of those days that Naruto could bet on the fact that Hagrid was sleeping but today was different.

Hagrid was awake and not only that, he had taken a bath and combed his hair and from the looks of it, he was returning from tending to the large horses of the carriage that brought the girls of Beauxbaton to Hogwarts.

This intrigued Naruto enough to change route and head towards Hagrid's, Hagrid spotted him and said;

"Hey there! Naruto."  
While waving his hand.

Naruto made it close enough for the smell to hit him.

"Wooo! Hagrid, I believe in 'Thou shall not judge' but it is way too early in the morning -" Naruto said, covering his nose but then smirked and said,  
"- or is it too late into the night?"

Hagrid didn't gasp what Naruto implemented until he remembered what he had returned from.

"It's not me! The hors' only drink whiskey! I w's tending to them! I swear!" Hagrid said in defence.

"I believe you." Naruto said, calming the gentle giant as he sat down on the stairs of Hagrid's hut.  
"French and their high standards, is that why you did the unnatural makeover."  
Naruto added as he pointed to the way Hagrid was dressed, it was unnatural for Hagrid only.

Hagrid might have answered him but a voice from the Carriage stopped him.

"Merci beaucoup, Monsieur Hagrid, I zean Zank Zu, Monsieur Hagrid."  
It was Madam Maxime, Headmistress of Beauxbaton Academy, Naruto noticed a blush, even through the thick beard on Hagrid's face.

He then once again looked at Maxime, she was also dressed way too good for this early in the morning, the dawn had only started 2 minutes ago.

Naruto looked between them and saw that Hagrid didn't peel his eyes from Maxime until she entered back into the Carriage.

"Hagrid?" Naruto said with a shit eating grin, Although Hagrid didn't seem to remember he was there.

"Hmm" was all Hagrid said as he kept smiling like an idiot.

"Fancy the French, do we?"  
At this Hagrid's mind reset and his smile dropped and his blush intensified 10 times, as he looked at Naruto in a mix of horror and embarrassment.

This look was the last straw, Naruto rolled from the steps on Hagrid's hut to the ground while laughing; quite literally rolling on the floor.

"Hohoho! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I AM DONE! I HAVE SEEN EVERYTHING! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Naruto shouted as clutched his side in pain from laughing to hard.  
After 5 minutes when Naruto only stopped laughing to take a breath did he get up from the ground, Hagrid still stood there shocked, Naruto got up and cleaned his tears and before Hagrid could say anything he said;

"Don't worry this will be between us." Naruto said as he took heavy breaths, this was when Hagrid finally took a sigh of relief. He knew Naruto always kept his word.

"Thank you Naruto." Hagrid muttered.

"It's alright, what are friends for, and if it helps, she fancies you too." Naruto said.

"Don't joke about that." Hagrid said firmly.

"Ain't joking, How many people get up and get ready so early in the morning to just say thank you? She likes you, now what I don't know is whether it's platonic or -" Naruto dragged off.

"I hope it isn't - WHAT AM I DOING TALKING ABOUT THIS TO A 14 YEAR OLD! GO AND TAKE A BATH! YOU STINK!" Hagrid exclaimed.

"Hey, First of all, I am 15 and second, I was trying to help." Naruto said as he got up and ran to the castle.

He didn't know however that from the Carriage a lot of girls had spotted him running and chatting with Hagrid, He was after all a very handsome man.

After that Naruto was not alone during his bath, since he had added some other exercises to his routine it took longer than usual to head back added to that, he spend some time with Hagrid this morning, but also many others wanting to check out the state with the goblet were awake earlier then usual.

He turned up in the entrance hall where the Camera and the Goblet was placed in his orange hoodie, blue capri and sandals.

His bag across his shoulders, in his low key wear as he liked to call it.

His Kitsune band proudly around his left hand, T.O.P band below it. His Kimoyo Beads in his right.  
He walked in and nodded at few students he knew, then sat down on the chair by the camera.

He waved his Kimoyo Beads over the camera, it started glowing a bright blue. Nobody noticed this change because the entire damn hall was blue right now. The data was downloaded to his Kimoyo beads but he spotted something peculiar in it.

Before he could inspect what it was Ron, Harry and Hermione showed up, spotted him and made their way towards him.

"Anyone put their name in yet?" Ron asked him.

"Lot of Durmstrang," He replied.

"But I haven't seen many from Hogwarts this morning."

"Bet some of them put it in last night after we'd all gone to bed," said Harry.

"I would've if it had been me - wouldn't have wanted everyone watching. What if the Goblet just gobbed you right back out again?"

"Well, they all are going to get a picture of them placing their name in the goblet, so there was actually no reason for doing that." Naruto replied.

Before they could say much more someone laughed behind Harry.

Turning around they saw Fred, George, and Lee Jordan hurrying down the staircase, all three of them looking extremely excited.

"Done it," Fred said in a triumphant whisper to Harry, Ron, Naruto and Hermione.  
"Just taken it."

"What?" said Ron.

"The Aging Potion, dung brains." said Fred.

"One drop each," said George, rubbing his hands together with glee.  
"We only need to be a few months older."

"We're going to split the thousand Galleons between the three of us if one of us wins," said Lee, grinning broadly.

"I'm not sure this is going to work, you know," said Hermione warningly.  
"I'm sure Dumbledore will have thought of this."

Fred, George, and Lee ignored her.

"Ready?"  
Fred said to the other two, quivering with excitement.  
"C'mon, then - I'll go first -"

They watched, fascinated, as Fred pulled a slip of parchment out of his pocket bearing the words:

Fred Weasley - Hogwarts.

Fred walked right up to the edge of the line and stood there, rocking on his toes like a diver preparing for a fifty-foot drop.  
Then, with the eyes of every person in the entrance hall upon him, he took a great breath and stepped over the line.

For a split second they thought it had worked, Naruto got up from the chair in shock at the thought of them successfully doing it.

George, also certainly thought so, for he let out a yell of triumph and leapt after Fred - but next moment, there was a loud sizzling sound, and both twins were hurled out of the golden circle as though they had been thrown by an invisible shot-putter.

They landed painfully, ten feet away on the cold stone floor and to add insult to injury, there was a loud popping noise, and both of them sprouted identical long white beards.

The entrance hall rang with laughter. Even Fred and George joined in, once they had gotten to their feet and taken a good look at each other's beards.

"I did warn you," said a deep, amused voice, and everyone turned to see Professor Dumbledore coming out of the Great Hall.

He surveyed Fred and George, his eyes twinkling.  
"I suggest you both go up to Madam Pomfrey. She is already tending to Miss Fawcett, of Ravenclaw, and Mr. Summers, of Hufflepuff, both of whom decided to age themselves up a little too. Though I must say, neither of their beards is anything like as fine as yours."

Naruto just kept laughing as Fred and George left accompanied by Lee, Harry, Ron and Hermione went to breakfast, since Naruto had already had some, he just waved them off with a 'see you later.'

Naruto was looking at the blue and White fire of the Goblet in fascination, he was a minor pyro, big surprise.  
He only peeled his eyes from the fire to see the new person who joined a line, as finally a friend of his did,

"Hell yeah Angelina! You go Queen!"

Naruto cheered, the other Gryffindors around the hall heard and cheered her as well, She said.

"Thanks Naruto!"  
She put her name in the goblet and went to the Great hall.

Naruto soon took out a novel and started reading, his attention not spittling until the crowd around him fell silent, he looked up to see what was up.

The students from Beauxbatons were coming through the front doors from the grounds, Those gathered around the Goblet of Fire stood back to let them pass, watching eagerly.

Madame Maxime entered the hall behind her students and organized them into a line.  
One by one, the Beauxbatons students stepped across the Age Line and dropped their slips of parchment into the blue-white flames.

As each name entered the fire, it turned briefly red and emitted sparks. Some of the girls gave Naruto a look as they went, a weird look in his opinion.

Hermione who was watching from the doors of Great hall walked up to him and asked.

"What was that about?"

"What was what about?" He asked, confused by her question.

"The looks, why did they gave you that look?" She asked,

"You noticed that too?" He asked a bit surprised, "It was a bit weird look, wasn't it? Haven't the foggiest on what that was for, really, do you know?" Naruto asked her innocently.

Hermione thought for a second then she spoke,

"Neither did I, just found it.. weird, we are off to Hagrid's want to come?" Hermione asked.

"Nah, I am going to meet Betty and the others, go to Hogsmeade and then walk around the castle but see you all at dinner," he told them.

Hermione nodded and then followed Harry and Ron to Hagrid's.

Naruto waited for a while longer cheering the students he knew that put their name in the Goblet, most headed to Hogsmeade immediately after, finally Betty and the group showed up.

Betty was dressed in white shirt and Denim overalls, Naruto put his book back in his black bag and got up to kiss her.

"Hey, you ready for some sweets at Honeydukes." she joked as she put her hands around his neck, he put his hands around her waist and they kissed, at this point they were already the 'it' couple of Hogwarts.

"You are all the sugar I need - eww - that one was on me, I'm sorry, you two ready?" He asked Ginny and Luna.

Naruto and Betty stood side by side, holding hands, fingers interlocked.

They all were just about to leave when a huge commotion occurred at the great hall.

Many Hufflepuff's were almost dragging Cedric towards the Goblet, he acted like he wasn't going to do this but he put his name in the goblet happily.

Susan Bones who was among the group walked up to the couple.

"Hey Naruto! Can you do me a favour?"

"Anything for my favourite Hufflepuff," Betty pulled him closer, he didn't get what that was about but the girls clearly did, 'Mine Bitch'.

She wasn't possessive, no sir. She knew that Naruto was clueless about this stuff and would often say flattering and misleading things without noticing.

She just wanted to make it clear whenever she could, that he was her's. She was, at the end of the day, a Gryffindor.

"I was hopping, you could give us this Photo sooner."  
They all had heard about why and how the camera was placed there after all.

"Sorry Susan, not before tonight, orders from above but I'll give you all the pictures of the Hufflepuff's first." He said apologetically.

"Thanks!" She said as she left.

Betty gave him a look.

"What?" Naruto asked.

"Favourite Hufflepuff?" She added.

"You know I only have eyes for you, right?" He said with a smirk.

She didn't say anything but just pulled him away, Ginny and Luna closely behind, they separated after some snacks and fun when Betty wanted to hang out with the girls.

He told them that he would see all of them at the castle as he walked into the woods near Hogsmeade and sat down on one of the big rocks there, with his wand at the ready.

He sat in silence for a few minutes. Till there was the sound of wings flapping and a cloaked figure appeared behind him, even with the cloak it was clear this figure was a woman. A well developed woman.

"Why were you following me?" Naruto asked.

"Just wanted to see you." She said.

"Am I a circus animal to you people? First this owl lady at the World Cup and now you?"

"How can you be so sure that we aren't the same person?"

"I remember her smell, she smelled like first rain hitting the ground, you smell like -"

"What?"

"Chocolate cosmos flower, the vanilla smell with hint of chocolate." He said.

"I don't know whether to be flattered or to think of you as a creep now."

"Sure, a stalker calling a guy who proudly calls himself basically a dog, creepy on sense of smell. You don't see any problem with that?" He said.  
He felt her lean on his back suddenly, he stiffened, she was strong he could feel it, he could also hear Kurama in his head telling him to call her.

He told her that would only escalate situation but if he is in danger, she can come then.

"You have a very strong back for a 15 year old person." She said.

"Thanks." Naruto said dryly.

She giggled and continued.

"I can see how you survived Bear more properly now, you have the primal instincts but at the same time great nerve, her being impressed with you does not seem so odd now." She said as she leaned in deeper.

He could feel her back and no doubt she could feel his, He guessed who she might be, he just needed to get her to say it. He didn't waste time.

"Her being your Mother, Panther?" He said, her back should have stiffened maybe only for a second but should have, but it didn't.

On the contrary it relaxed or maybe he couldn't feel as clearly as he thought, maybe the long thing that he felt on his back was her spine.  
He didn't have to wait long for her answer, she giggled, a beautiful sound if the fact that she might try to murder him wasn't on front of his mind.

"Oh wow! You really are worth it, you might be right, but that doesn't matter yet, relax, you're back is starting to feel like a rock wall now." she said, he didn't.

"Boo! Killjoy! I was here just to see you, ok! I am not going to kill you, I just wanted to tell you that I honestly like you, and would like to warn you that this competition, that's happening at your school, is just a smokescreen."

It was her turn to wait, his back relaxed, she felt comfortable once again,

"What's your real name?" He asked, she didn't understand but chose to entertain this.

"It's something you won't even be able to pronounce."

"Are you doing this on your free will or are you just doing this because of who your mother is?"

"Free will, I like you so I won't kill you, I kill who I don't like."

"I see then you and I have nothing more to talk about, you are not here to fight, neither am I but the next time we see each other, you'll kill me instantly or you will have a hell of a fight on your hands." He said as he got up and left.  
He knew he couldn't defeat her here, and she wasn't in the mood to fight. As she was left on the clearing alone, she muttered.

"Excellent, Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze. EXCELLENT!" She said to herself.

There was some moment on her back, where Naruto had guessed the protusion he felt to be her long ponytail and it seemed like he was right as the ponytail was moving and it seperated inside the hood.

A single white hair popped out from under the hood.

"Soon." She said as she vanished with sound of wings as a sign of application of magic.

Unknown to either two who had been in the clearing a third person suddenly appeared in the clearing, it was Delphini in her school robes.

"First rain on ground, huh?" She smiled and then vanished once again.

* * *

Naruto had ran back to the school, changed his clothes and headed back to the entrance hall just in time.

Dumbledore, Bagman and Crouch were overlooking some people moving the Goblet from its place at the Entrance hall to the Great hall.

He was allowed in by the person who guarded the door only because of his band, after tonight the other three girls will also start reporting.  
Naruto had to push the incident at Hogsmeade at the back of him mind right now because he couldn't decide whether Panther was lying or not.

So, acting on anything right now would be premature. His train of thought stopped when Dumbledore spotted him.

"Ahh! Finally I thought you might just get late." Dumbledore said.

"Sir this is a very serious opportunity for me and the other three to develop, I am taking this extremely seriously."

Naruto said, this was a bowl of crap and he knew it. He was only doing this for Ginny, Yes Ginny she was like his little sister, and it was no secret that she wasn't well off, and since the Weasley's were a proud family they wouldn't accept any form of charity.

He respected that more than anything, but he wanted to help this amazing family and if that meant clicking pictures all day long, He was going to do it, with a mother freaking smile on his face.

"A quality I can respect!" Barry said, he aimed this at Lugo who just ignored him.

"Now, let's get this party started gentlemen." Naruto said as he picked his camera up.

"Heck Yeah!" and this was the type of attitude Ludo could get behind.

Soon the entire hall filled with students and faculties. Naruto was on some benches stacked upon each other for him to sit on and take pictures easily.

The feast seemed to last longer than Naruto thought it would, everybody was impatient and he would be lying if he said he wasn't.  
So, as soon as the plates returned to their clean self Naruto got his camera out of its packing and pointed it at the Goblet.

Naruto's movement has silenced the hall more than the cleaning of plates did.

Dumbledore got to his feet. He looked at Naruto as he motioned with his hand for Dumbledore, to show him the best place to stand for Photos.

On either side of him, Professor Karkaroff and Madame Maxime looked as tense and expectant as anyone.

Ludo Bagman was beaming and winking at various students. Mr. Crouch, however, looked quite uninterested, almost bored.  
When Naruto gave a thumbs up, Dumbledore started.

"Well, the Goblet is almost ready to make its decision," said Dumbledore.

"I estimate that it requires one more minute. Now, when the Champions' names are called, I would ask them please to come up to the top of the Hall, walk along the staff table, and go through into the next chamber" - he indicated the door behind the staff table - "where they will be receiving their first instructions."

He took out his wand and gave a great sweeping wave with it; at once, all the candles except those inside the carved pumpkins were extinguished, plunging them into a state of semidarkness.  
The Goblet of Fire now shone more brightly than anything in the whole Hall, the sparkling bright, bluey-whiteness of the flames almost painful on the eyes.  
Everyone watched, waiting. A few people kept checking their watches.

The flames inside the Goblet turned suddenly red again. Sparks began to fly from it.  
Next moment, a tongue of flame shot into the air, a charred piece of parchment fluttered out of it - the whole room gasped.

Dumbledore caught the piece of parchment and held it at arm's length, so that he could read it by the light of the flames, which had turned back to blue-white.

"The champion for Durmstrang," he read, in a strong, clear voice, "will be Viktor Krum."

"No surprises there!" yelled Ron as a storm of applause and cheering swept the Hall.  
Naruto's lense followed Viktor Krum rise from the Slytherin table and slouch up toward Dumbledore; they both posed for a photo and he turned right, walked along the staff table, and disappeared through the door into the next chamber.

The clapping and chatting died down.

Now everyone's attention was focused again on the goblet, which, seconds later, turned red once more.  
A second piece of parchment shot out of it, propelled by the flames.

"The champion for Beauxbatons," said Dumbledore, "is Fleur Delacour!"

She got gracefully to her feet, shook back her sheet of silvery blonde hair, and swept up between the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables.  
She did the same as Krum had done and after the photo went to the next chamber.

Silence fell again, but this time it was a silence so stiff with excitement you could almost taste it.  
The Hogwarts champion next; and the Goblet of Fire turned red once more; sparks showered out of it; the tongue of flame shot high into the air, and from its tip Dumbledore pulled the third piece of parchment.

"The Hogwarts champion," he called, "is Cedric Diggory!"

Naruto actually stood up to cheer for Diggory, He might have criticised his father. It didn't mean he wasn't happy someone he knew was selected for the competition.

Cedric gave him an appreciative look as he also posed for the photo with Dumbledore, As Cedric left for the side chamber, Naruto followed behind them the next part was also supposed to photographed.

He entered a few seconds after Cedric but he had already shared looks with others and found his place by the fireplace. The three champions spotted him and it was Fleur who said,

"More pictures?"

It was probably the first real sentence in English from her.

"I am sorry if It annoys you guys but it's really important for me and my friends." He said apologetically.

"Oh no! Zat is not what I meant! I was just asking." She instantly said.

Even Krum gave him a broody small nod. While Cedric gave him a good smile. Naruto instantly clicked his picture like that.

"Nice! This will go good with the ladies, pretty boy and thank you guys for understanding, let's wait for others to come and then I will start, until then all I have to say is, congratulations guys, you all just made mother freaking history!"

They all smiled and thanked him but as if waiting for this moment Harry showed up.  
This confused everyone in the room.

"Sup bro? Is something the matter?" Naruto asked.

Harry did not speak.

"What is it?" Fleur said.  
"Do zey want us back in ze Hall?"

There was a sound of scurrying feet behind him, and Ludo Bagman entered the room. He took Harry by the arm and led him forward.

"Extraordinary!" he muttered, squeezing Harry's arm.  
"Absolutely extraordinary! Gentlemen - lady," he added, approaching the fireside and addressing the other three.  
"May I introduce - incredible though it may seem - the fourth Triwizard champion?"

Naruto muttered with a smile.

"Nice one, Mr. Bagman. Way to try to get their nervousness down."

Viktor Krum straightened up. His surly face darkened as he surveyed Harry. Cedric looked nonplussed.  
He looked from Bagman to Harry and back again as though sure he must have misheard what Bagman had said.  
Fleur Delacour, however, tossed her hair, smiling, and said, "Oh,Yes, vairy funny joke, Meester Bagman."

"Joke?" Bagman repeated, bewildered. "No, no, not at all! Harry's name just came out of the Goblet of Fire!"

Krum's thick eyebrows contracted slightly. Cedric was still looking politely bewildered. Fleur frowned.

"WHAT!?" Naruto said as he went stiff in shock. His mind going a mile a minute.

"But evidently zair 'as been a mistake," she said contemptuously to Bagman. "E cannot compete. 'E is too young."

"Well - it is amazing," said Bagman, rubbing his smooth chin and smiling down at Harry. "But, as you know, the age restriction was only imposed this year as an extra safety measure. And as his name's come out of the goblet - I mean, I don't think there can be any ducking out at this state - It's down in the rules, you're obliged. - Harry will just have to do the best he -"

The door behind them opened again, and a large group of people came in: Professor Dumbledore, followed closely by Mr. Crouch, Professor Karkaroff, Madame Maxime, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Snape.

"Madame Maxime!" said Fleur at once, striding over to her headmistress.  
"Zey are saying zat zis little boy is to compete also!"

Madame Maxime had drawn herself up to her full, and considerable, height. The top of her handsome head brushed the candle-filled chandelier, and her gigantic black-satin bosom swelled.

"What is ze meaning of zis, Dumbly-dorr?" she said imperiously.  
"I'd rather like to know that myself, Dumbledore," said Professor Karkaroff. He was wearing a steely smile, and his blue eyes were like chips of ice.  
"Two Hogwarts champions? I don't remember anyone telling me the host school is allowed two champions - or have I not read the rules carefully enough?"

He gave a short and nasty laugh.

"C'est impossible," said Madame Maxime, whose enormous hand with its many superb opals was resting upon Fleur's shoulder. "Ogwarts cannot 'ave two champions. It is most injust."

"We were under the impression that your Age Line would keep out younger contestants, Dumbledore," said Karkaroff, his steely smile still in place, though his eyes were colder than ever.

"Otherwise, we would, of course, have brought along a wider selection of candidates from our own schools."

"It's no one's fault but Potter's, Karkaroff," said Snape softly. His black eyes were alight with malice.  
"Don't go blaming Dumbledore for Potter's determination to break rules. He has been crossing lines ever since he arrived here -"

"Thank you, Severus," said Dumbledore firmly, and Snape went quiet, though his eyes still glinted malevolently through his curtain of greasy black hair.

Professor Dumbledore was now looking down at Harry, who looked right back at him, trying to discern the expression of the eyes behind the half-moon spectacles.

"Did you put your name into the Goblet of Fire, Harry?" he asked calmly.

"No," said Harry. He was very aware of everybody watching him closely. Snape made a soft noise of impatient disbelief in the shadows.

"Did you ask an older student to put it into the Goblet of Fire for you?" said Professor Dumbledore, ignoring Snape.

"No," said Harry vehemently.

"Ah, but of course 'e is lying!" cried Madame Maxime. Snape was now shaking his head, his lip curling.

"He could not have crossed the Age Line," said Professor McGonagall sharply. "I am sure we are all agreed on that -"

"Dumbly-dorr must 'ave made a mistake wiz ze line," said Madame Maxime, shrugging.

"It is possible, of course," said Dumbledore politely.

"Dumbledore, you know perfectly well you did not make a mistake!" said Professor McGonagall angrily.

"Really, what nonsense! Harry could not have crossed the line himself, and as Professor Dumbledore believes that he did not persuade an older student to do it for him, I'm sure that should be good enough for everybody else!"

She shot a very angry look at Professor Snape.

"We, of course have proof, Mr. Namikaze's photos. They show time and order of entries, so let's check what happened." They all turned to Naruto who was still standing in shock.

"Naruto?" McGonagall said calmly.

"I was going through the photos -" Naruto started, He held his right palm forward and flicked one Kimoyo Bead towards his palm, it broke from the chain and moved to his palm and a screen appeared. It was showing Fleur's Polaroid. Everybody was too tense to marvel at the magical object.

"Ms. Fleur entered first and after that a couple of Hogwarts students till 11: 48 PM as last entry for the night and then the next series started at 5:57 AM, with Drumstrang, but there was an anomaly, I thought it was faulty." Naruto muttered.

"What happened?" Dumbledore asked.

"There was an entry at 1:08 AM, it's blank. The two reasons could be faulty system or -"

"Or?" Fleur asked.

"Someone bewitched it, to take a blank picture. Or more specifically blank the picture of the culprit." It was Snape who said it.

"Yeah." Naruto muttered. Not really paying attention to what Snape said after bewitched.

"Could a Fourth year do it? I mean other than you." Karkaroff asked.

"If they knew what they were doing, sure. It would be very difficult though, to only compromise one entry and that too without failing the system. That would take skills, I couldn't do it to someone else's enchantment." Naruto answered in a low voice.

"What does that mean?" Cedric asked.

"Enchantments are different form of magic -" Moody said as he suddenly appeared in the room, everyone looked at him;  
"It takes patience and skill to cast enchantments, once it is cast, it is always unique to each wizard. You cannot just speak a spell and be over with it, it can only be broken by another enchanter." He finished.

"Or by Dark arts." Naruto added, his eyes glued on Karkaroff, something that didn't go unnoticed by others.

"Mr. Crouch - Mr. Bagman," said Karkaroff, his choosing to ignore Naruto's stare, "you are our - er - objective judges. Surely you will agree that this is most irregular?"

Bagman wiped his round, boyish face with his handkerchief and looked at Mr. Crouch, who was standing outside the circle of the firelight, his face half hidden in shadow. He looked slightly eerie, the half darkness making him look much older, giving him an almost skull-like appearance. When he spoke, however, it was in his usual curt voice.

"We must follow the rules, and the rules state clearly that those people whose names come out of the Goblet of Fire are bound to compete in the tournament."

"Well, Barty knows the rule book back to front -" said Bagman, beaming and turning back to Karkaroff and Madame Maxime, as though the matter was now closed.

"I insist upon resubmitting the names of the rest of my students," said Karkaroff. He had dropped his unctuous tone and his smile now. His face wore a very ugly look indeed.  
"You will set up the Goblet of Fire once more, and we will continue adding names until each school has two champions. It's only fair, Dumbledore."

"But Karkaroff, it doesn't work like that," said Bagman. "The Goblet of Fire's just gone out - it won't reignite until the start of the next tournament -"

"- in which Durmstrang will most certainly not be competing!" exploded Karkaroff.  
"After all our meetings and negotiations and compromises, I little expected something of this nature to occur! I have half a mind to leave now!"

"Empty threat, Karkaroff," growled Moody.  
"You can't leave your champion now. He's got to compete. They've all got to compete. Binding magical contract, like Dumbledore said. Convenient, eh?"

"Convenient?" said Karkaroff. "I'm afraid I don't understand you, Moody."

"Don't you?" said Moody quietly. "It's very simple, Karkaroff. Someone put Potter's name in that goblet knowing he'd have to compete if it came out."

"Evidently, someone 'oo wished to give 'Ogwarts two bites at ze apple!" said Madame Maxime.

"I quite agree, Madame Maxime," said Karkaroff, bowing to her. "I shall be lodging complaints with the Ministry of Magic and the International Confederation of Wizards -"

"If anyone's got reason to complain, it's Potter," growled Moody, "but - funny thing - I don't hear him saying a word."

"Why should 'e complain?" burst out Fleur Delacour, stamping her foot. "E 'as ze chance to compete, 'asn't 'e? We 'ave all been 'oping to be chosen for weeks and weeks! Ze honor for our schools! A thousand Galleons in prize money - zis is a chance many would die for!"

"Maybe someone's hoping Potter is going to die for it," said Moody, with the merest trace of a growl.

An extremely tense silence followed these words. Ludo Bagman, who was looking very anxious indeed, bounced nervously up and down on his feet and said, "Moody, old man - what a thing to say!"

"We all know Professor Moody considers the morning wasted if he hasn't discovered six plots to murder him before lunchtime," said Karkaroff loudly.  
"Apparently he is now teaching his students to fear assassination too. An odd quality in a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Dumbledore, but no doubt you had your reasons."

"Imagining things, am I?" growled Moody. "Seeing things, eh? It was a skilled witch or wizard who put the boy's name in that goblet -"

"Ah, what evidence is zere of zat?" said Madame Maxime, throwing up her huge hands.

"Because they hoodwinked a very powerful magical object! Add to the fact that they broke through a moderate class enchantment!" said Moody.  
"It would have needed an exceptionally strong Confundus Charm to bamboozle that goblet into forgetting that only three schools compete in the tournament - I'm guessing they submitted Potter's name under a fourth school, to make sure he was the only one in his category -"

"You seem to have given this a great deal of thought, Moody," said Karkaroff, coldly, "and a very ingenious theory it is - though of course, I heard you recently got it into your head that one of your birthday presents contained a cunningly disguised basilisk egg, and smashed it to pieces before realizing it was a carriage clock. So you'll understand if we don't take you entirely seriously -"

"There are those who'll turn innocent occasions to their advantage," Moody retorted in a menacing voice.  
"It's my job to think the way Dark wizards do, Karkaroff - as you ought to remember -"

"Alastor!" said Dumbledore warningly.  
Naruto was silently looking at the Champions, the original three, then at Harry, before tonight all the previous events could be chalked up to coincidences, Wormtail's breakout, Harry's Dream, Dark mark and Panther's warning but this was the final straw that cemented the fact, Harry's life is in danger.

"How this situation arose, we do not know." said Dumbledore, speaking to everyone gathered in the room.  
"It seems to me, however, that we have no choice but to accept it. Both Cedric and Harry have been chosen to compete in the Tournament. This, therefore, they will do -"

"Ah, but Dumbly-dorr -"

"My dear Madame Maxime, if you have an alternative, I would be delighted to hear it."

Dumbledore waited, but Madame Maxime did not speak, she merely glared. She wasn't the only one either. Snape looked furious; Karkaroff livid; Bagman, however, looked rather excited.

"Well, shall we crack on, then?" he said, rubbing his hands together and smiling around the room. "Got to give our champions their instructions, haven't we? Barty, want to do the honors?"

Mr. Crouch seemed to come out of a deep reverie. "Yes," he said, "instructions. Yes - the first task -"

He moved forward into the firelight, close up, he looked ill. There were dark shadows beneath his eyes and a thin, papery look about his wrinkled skin that had not been there at the Quidditch World Cup.

"The first task is designed to test your daring," he told Harry, Cedric, Fleur, and Viktor, "so we are not going to be telling you what it is. Courage in the face of the unknown is an important quality in a wizard - very important - The first task will take place on November the twenty-fourth, in front of the other students and a panel of judges."

"The champions are not permitted to ask for or accept help of any kind from their teachers to complete the tasks in the tournament. The champions will face the first challenge armed only with their wands. They will receive information about the second task when the first is over. Owing to the demanding and time-consuming nature of the tournament, the champions are exempted from end-of-year tests."

Mr. Crouch turned to look at Dumbledore. "I think that's all, is it, Albus?"

"I think so," said Dumbledore, who was looking at Mr. Crouch with mild concern.  
"Are you sure, you wouldn't like to stay at Hogwarts tonight, Barty?"

"No, Dumbledore, I must get back to the Ministry," said Mr. Crouch.  
"It is a very busy, very difficult time at the moment - I've left young Weatherby in charge - very enthusiastic - a little overenthusiastic, if truth be told -"

"You'll come and have a drink before you go, at least?" said Dumbledore.

"Come on, Barry, I'm staying!" said Bagman brightly.  
"It's all happening at Hogwarts now, you know, much more exciting here than at the office!"

"I think not, Ludo." said Crouch with a touch of his old impatience.

"Professor Karkaroff - Madame Maxime - a nightcap?" said Dumbledore.

However Madame Maxime had already put her arm around Fleur's shoulders and was leading her swiftly out of the room. Everyone could hear them both talking very fast in French as they went off into the Great Hall. Karkaroff beckoned to Krum, and they, too, took their exit, though in silence.

"Harry, Cedric, I suggest you go up to bed -" said Dumbledore, smiling at both of them.  
"I am sure Gryffindor and Hufflepuff are waiting to celebrate with you, and it would be a shame to deprive them of this excellent excuse to make a great deal of mess and noise."

Harry glanced at Cedric, who nodded and they left together. They turned to Naruto, who still stood at his place like a stone.

"Naruto?" Harry asked. This brought Naruto out of his trans, he looked up and blinked fast to get his mind back on track and said.

"No, I have stuff to do, Harry tell others - I'll be sleeping on the couch in the office tonight and Cedric, if you - can do me a favour? Tell your housemates to come to me, it they want to talk - if they want to talk to anyone in 'The Owl Post', ok?"

They both awkwardly nodded.

"Congratulations guys - um- see you later." With that Naruto went to the office to be alone, the next morning before going for a run, Naruto would go to the owlery to send an owl to Moony, knowing well that Padfoot will be informed soon enough.

* * *

(Harry's perspective. The next morning.)

When Harry woke up on Sunday morning, it took him a moment to remember why he felt so miserable and worried. Then the memory of the previous night rolled over him.  
He sat up and ripped back the curtains of his own four-poster, intending to talk to Ron, to force Ron to believe him - only to find that Ron's bed was empty; he had obviously gone down to breakfast.  
He tried Naruto too but found the same empty bed as he did on usual mornings.

Harry dressed and went down the spiral staircase into the common room. The moment he appeared, the people who had already finished breakfast broke into applause again.

The prospect of going down into the Great Hall and facing the rest of the Gryffindors, all treating him like some sort of hero, was not inviting; it was that, however, or stay here and allow himself to be cornered by the Creevey brothers, who were both beckoning frantically to him to join them.  
He walked resolutely over to the portrait hole, pushed it open, climbed out of it, and found himself face-to-face with Hermione.

"Hello," she said, holding up a stack of toast, which she was carrying in a napkin.  
"I brought you this - Want to go for a walk?"

"Good idea." said Harry gratefully.

They went downstairs, crossed the entrance hall quickly without looking at the Great Hall, and were soon striding across the lawn toward the lake, where the Durmstrang ship was moored, reflected blackley in the water.  
It was a chilly morning, and they kept moving, munching their toast, as Harry told Hermione exactly what had happened after he had left the Gryffindor table the night before. To his immense relief, Hermione accepted his story without question.

"Well, of course I knew you hadn't entered yourself," she said when he'd finished telling her about the scene in the chamber off the Hall.  
"The look on your face when Dumbledore read out your name! But the question is, who did put it in? Because Moody's right, Harry - I don't think any student could have done it - they'd never be able to fool the Goblet, and no ordinary student could fool Naruto's enchantments, he has been trained by The Scarlet Witch on them or get over Dumbledore's -"

"Have you seen Ron? Or Naruto for that matter?" Harry interrupted.

Hermione hesitated.

"Erm - yes - Ron was at breakfast and as for Naruto, Betty told me after submitting 'The Owl Post's' issue to Barty, he went with Luna in the woods, spending time with some creatures that only the two of them can see." she said.

"Do they still think I entered myself?"

"Well - no, I don't think so - not really," said Hermione awkwardly.

"What's that supposed to mean, 'not really'?"

"Oh Harry, isn't it obvious?" Hermione said despairingly. "Ron's jealous! And Naruto's just worried!"

"Jealous? Worried?" Harry said incredulously.  
"Jealous of what? Ron wants to make a prat of himself in front of the whole school, does he? And Why does Naruto worry about me?"

"Look," said Hermione patiently, "it's always you who gets all the attention, you know it is. I know it's not your fault," she added quickly, seeing Harry opening his mouth furiously.

"I know you don't ask for it - but - well - you know, Ron's got all those brothers to compete against at home, and you're his best friend, and you're really famous - he's always shunted to one side whenever people see you, and he puts up with it, and he never mentions it, but I suppose this is just one time too many - as for Naruto -"

"I cannot tell you everything because Betty told me only some part of it in secrecy but Naruto worries because that's who he is, and his thoughts are exactly the same as Moody's, so he just needs to distance himself, to try to comprehend what's happening from outside, he doesn't think you put your name in the Goblet anyway."


	53. Book 4 Chapter 10: Before the Tournament

Naruto woke up at 4 in the morning, got up from his bed, bed that he had summoned from his briefcase and waved his wand around.

The entire room went dark and then was illuminated by a red ball of light, floating a few feet from his face, he set the paper, the fluid and the ropes in the room, he took out a silver box with a very small cylinder on it. He tapped it with his wand and it opened to show spherical space inside it.

Naruto pulled one of his Kimoyo Beads and placed it inside the space and waved his wand one last time while muttering something, everything started to move like a machine, within a minute, a photo, photo of Hogwarts students preparing to welcome their guest appeared and moved to hangfrom a rope he had set up.

As soon as he was sure the process had set on his own, He went inside his briefcase to spend time with his Plants and Beasts, it was the activity that calmed him the most.

He thought he'd ask for Kurama's thoughts on it but now that the two of them were practically one brain, he had already thought through all of her possible suggestion and around 6 am; Naruto got out.

When he did, he saw that the photos were done and sorted in neat piles, three having all the photos from arrival to goblet ceremony, in three piles for the three schools, then six piles of students adding their names in the goblet, four for the houses and two for the two guest schools and the last pile, with only four pictures.

Four for all participants that got selected, it showed all of them adding their names in the goblet, three of them anyways, amongst all of them, he picked up the White Polaroid, it had time and number 4 on it. Staring at that picture, he didn't know when he sat down on the bed, which was still in the room, and kept staring at it.

Not more than five minute passed in real time, when the door to the office opened. Betty, Ginny and Luna all with worried faces entered the room. He looked up saw their faces but didn't say anything, he simply got up and asked.

"You all brought your pages?"

Three of them shared a worried looks and instead of pointing things out just played along.

"Yeah." Betty mentioned.

First Luna went and handed him her pages on the ways the two schools arrived, without another word he picked up some photos from the biggest pile and placed them above the blank spaces Luna left, he waved his wand and the photos mended with the pages.

"Great work." He said as she just nodded and gave one last look to Betty and Ginny before she left.

Following her, Ginny gave him her papers, they were about the previous games and there dangers with a space left, with a heading, 'CLUES FOR FIRST TASK', Naruto placed photos of the judges in the pages, waved his wand below the heading and it was filled with everything that Barty had said the night before, while also mending the photos to the pages, he strained smiled at Ginny and said;

"Nice work, Red."  
Ginny did the exact same thing as Luna and left, It was finally Betty and Naruto, the moment they were both worried about.

"You really don't want to talk about this?" Betty asked as she held her pages tightly.

"What's there to talk about? My friends in Albania were right, there was unusual moment in the forest and it's wasn't a coincidence, I failed Sirius's one request, couldn't look after Harry, as he is now in the middle of the world's most perfect trap and Panther! One of my enemies warned me and I did not listen -"

"- and now, when everything finally results turns to shit! My mother will order me to return home, forever! Away from my friends, away from my life and above all - "

They both looked into each other's eyes.

"- away from you. I - I cannot blame anyone, but myself. So, for once in my life, I have nothing, absolutely no fucking idea what to do next to, try to save the falling of lives around me. What I can do right now - is finish this magazine. Send it to the ministry and hope that my brain works and I am able to do something!" He finished.

Betty just looked at him, she didn't know what to say, she wanted to ask when Panther warned him but she couldn't, all she could do was hug him.S

She dropped her papers on the desk and hugged him, his arms were trapped inside her hold, he didn't move for a while, however soon, he gave in, twisted inside her hold and hugged her back, it was now that she started talking.

"When you need my help and I know you will, I will be there. You know that." She said. Naruto buried his head in her neck and tightened his hold around her waist and said.

"Always."

After that Naruto took Betty's papers, which would be the only publication that would give equal importance to the other champions.  
Immediately after He was done with the magazine, Naruto send the magazine to the ministry, it's first sale would score the four 255 Galleons. Naruto would be given this money which he would distribute in a way that he would take 30 Galleon, while the three girls would get 75 each.

Naruto and Betty went to the great hall and ate breakfast with Ron and Hermione. After that Naruto and Luna would head to feed the thestrals, while Ginny and Betty took the interviews of the four champions.

The next few days were also not very particularly good for Naruto.

As he went to prefects of each house to hand the participation photos of the house students to them. He was bugged by students from all houses apart from Gryffindor to officially name Cedric the 'Real' Hogwarts champion.

While Girls of Beauxbatons were very happy with him about the equal attention given to each champion, even though he didn't write the part but Betty did, as it clearly said in magazine. Victor Krum had run into him during his morning run and also thanked him for that.

* * *

It was a morning, few days after the Goblet when every student was having breakfast in the great hall, Harry was with Hermione.

When Naruto showed up with a stack of papers, He passed a bunch on each table and then left.  
Harry and Hermione found it odd and he waited for the one of the papers to make it to the duo, as it came Hermione read.

* * *

_From Naruto;_

_To every single student in the Hogwarts castle in this Triwizard season._

_After some consideration and talk; A Reader's Column has been added to 'The Owl Post', anyone who wants to write anything, about anything can submit it._

_Even complains, provided you get 20 student signature and 1 faculty signature._

_P.S.: To all those Jackasses who threw there suggestions in paper ball forms on Elizabeth, Ginerva and Luna. If that happens again, I will show you what broken bones feel like and yes, that's a threat._

_Naruto U. Namikaze_   
_Editor_   
_The Owl Post._

* * *

"Complains?" Harry said;  
"People have been complaining to them about my selection and this is how he handles it? Letting them post their complains on a magazine that is being sold on every part of Europe? You still think he is worried about me?" He finished.

"You don't read clearly, do you? You missed the signature part. No teacher would sign something like that."

Hermione told him. Ron, who was walking by and heard this added.

"And he didn't do it with you in mind, like everyone around you is supposed to do, he did it for the three that work with him." He said and left.

Hermione shot Harry a apologetic look and Harry's shocked face turned to a bit of horror as he said,

"Just great!"

Then he banged his head on the table.

Later in that day, Naruto was walking towards his second half of the Double Potions, or the practical half of the potions class, which was the only time he attended potions.

The students were quite shocked when he had done it the first time as after he had won the championship, nobody expected to see him in the dungeons but he had come anyway.

It was a sign of respect towards Snape.

Who was also greatly surprised by his attendance that day. He was also happy at that, so much that he didn't deduct any points from Gryffindor.

Later Snape and Naruto had talked it over, that Naruto would submit every assignment and attend the Practical half of the class, which happened on double potions day.

So, during single potions he spent his time mostly in either Herbology with Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. A fact that made Neville jealous since he would give anything to stay away from Snape.  
This was also one of the reasons why he was better friend with other houses compared to his friends.

During Double Potions first half he spent most of his time in the library.

So, that where he was, on his way to Potions from the library when Bagman appeared in front of him.

'The Owl Post's' last issue sticking out of his robes.

"Sir?" He asked, ever since Harry had entered the room, Naruto was on hyper alert, he had known Bagman was heading towards the same corner he was,

"Young lad! Get your Camera! Prophet's here so we are gathering the Champions! I hear they have already been interviewed by your teammates! So we thought you get some photos to go along with those interviews now! And bring in someone for the ceremony." Bagman said in a single breath.

"Alright, I'll have to inform Professor Snape about this and then I'll be there." Naruto said.

"Don't worry about that we can send someone to do that!" Bagman said.

"No sir, I'll do it personally and I share that class with Harry, so I'll bring him along with me as well but can you send someone to get Betty, additional ceremonies are her department" Naruto said.

"Very well then, come as soon as possible." With that Bagman disappeared.

Naruto headed to the dungeons and knocked on Potion's door and entered.

Instead of sitting down he started speaking from his position on the gate.

"I am extremely sorry sir, but Mr. Bagman wants me to take some photos for the Champions, so I will unfortunately have to skip this class."

Naruto said, just as soon as Harry had heard 'Champions' and 'Photos' his eyes went straight to Ron.

"Very well then, that means you'll be needing Mr. Potter as well." Snape said curtly.

"Unfortunately yes, sir."

"Very well, leave Potter."

"Thank you Professor."  
Naruto said as he left without even waiting for Harry, Naruto, who was followed silently by Harry reached their destination.

They entered to see Krum on his own not talking to anyone.  
While, Betty was in deep conversation with Fluer and Cedric.

Fluer was happily ranting in French because Betty was fluent in it.  
That's why Fluer was happy with Betty as the one that took her interviews.

While an elder witch stood on the side lines reading 'The Owl Post' and glaring at Betty.

Bagman suddenly spotted Harry and Naruto, got up quickly and bounded forward.

"Ah, here he is! Champion number four! In you come, Harry, in you come - nothing to worry about, it's just the wand weighing ceremony, the rest of the judges will be here in a moment -"

"Wand weighing?" Harry repeated nervously.

"We have to check that your wands are fully functional, no problems, you know, as they're your most important tools in the tasks ahead," said Bagman.

"The expert's upstairs now with Dumbledore, and then there's going to be a little photo shoot. This is Rita Skeeter," he added, gesturing toward the witch in magenta robes.

"She's doing a small piece on the tournament for the Daily Prophet. Secondary to 'Owl Post', of course." While looking at Naruto, who simply shrugged his shoulders and moved on.

"Maybe not that small, Ludo," said Rita Skeeter, her eyes on Harry and Naruto. More on Harry though.

Her hair was set in elaborate and curiously rigid curls that contrasted oddly with her heavy-jawed face. She wore jeweled spectacles. The thick fingers clutching her crocodile-skin handbag ended in two-inch nails, painted crimson.

"I wonder if I could have a little word with Harry before we start?" she said to Bagman, but still gazing fixedly at Harry.  
"The youngest champion, you know - to add a bit of color?"

"Certainly!" cried Bagman.  
"That is - if Harry has no objection?"

"Er -" said Harry.

"Lovely," said Rita Skeeter, and in a second, her scarlet-taloned fingers had Harry's upper arm in a surprisingly strong grip, and she was steering him out of the room again and opening a nearby door.

"We don't want to be in there with all that noise," she said.  
"Let's see - ah, yes, this is nice and cozy."

Naruto looked at them as they went into the broom closet. He muttered.

"That woman is crazier than the rumours' say."  
Then he went to the Betty, Fleur and Cedric.

Cedric was looking confused as Fleur and Betty talked in French and Betty was periodically noting things down in her notebook rapidly.

"Isn't too great to be outside the conversation of two girls, huh, Pretty Boy." Naruto said as he approached them.

"How many times?!" Cedric dragged, pointing to the fact that Naruto mostly called him Pretty Boy.

"Till the end. Anyways you got these two, Betts?"  
Naruto asked as he put a hand on Betty's lower back, something that didn't go unnoticed by Fleur and Cedric.

Cedric, like most of Hogwarts, knew they were a couple, so he didn't mind but Fleur immediately thought that if they are a couple, this might be a favour to his girlfriend. Something that Cedric picked up on.

As Naruto walked away after a nod from Betty, Cedric cleared the doubt in Fleur's mind by whispering to her.

"Don't worry, this isn't a favour, Betty here is only going to write about extra ceremonies, It's another girl, Ginny Weasley, that will write about sports and she's ruthless, pointed out every wrong move I made as a seeker in every Quidditch game last year."

Fleur went 'ohh' and nodded with a smile as now Betty started asking Cedric questions, while Naruto tried to get everything he could from Krum.

After some time, the rest of the judges entered, Dumbledore looked around for the missing Champion.  
He gave Naruto, the person he trusted most in this room, a question filled look.

"Broom Cupboard." Naruto answered as Dumbledore nodded and opened the doors to the cupboard and greeted Rita.

"Dumbledore!" cried Rita Skeeter, with every appearance of delight, "How are you?" she said, standing up and holding out one of her large, mannish hands to Dumbledore.  
"I hope you saw my piece over the summer about the International Confederation of Wizards' Conference?"

"Enchantingly nasty," said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling.  
"I particularly enjoyed your description of me as an obsolete dingbat."

Rita Skeeter didn't look remotely abashed.

"I was just making the point that some of your ideas are a little old-fashioned, Dumbledore, and that many wizards in the street -"

"I will be delighted to hear the reasoning behind the rudeness, Rita," said Dumbledore, with a courteous bow and a smile, "but I'm afraid we will have to discuss the matter later."

"The Weighing of the Wands is about to start, and it cannot take place if one of our Champions is hidden in a broom cupboard."

The Champions settled on four chairs, judges on the table, Naruto and Betty in chairs besides but a little far from the judges, and the thing that delighted them the most, Rita in a small chair in the corner.

"May I introduce Mr. Ollivander?"

Dumbledore said as the old man entered, Naruto snapped his picture, and at the sound, the man turned to Naruto and said with a smile.

"Loved your piece on wand woods last year, I hope you continue with that soon."

Naruto could only blush at that, and nod dumbly.

"Mademoiselle Delacour, could we have you first, please?" continued Mr. Ollivander, stepping into the empty space in the middle of the room.

Fleur Delacour swept over to Mr. Ollivander and handed him her wand.

"Hmm -" he said.

He twirled the wand between his long fingers like a baton and it emitted a number of pink and gold sparks.  
Then he held it chose to his eyes and examined it carefully.

"Yes," he said quietly, "nine and a half inches - inflexible - rosewood - and containing - dear me -"

"An 'air from ze 'ead of a Veela," said Fleur. "One of my grandmuzzer's."

Naruto instantly turned to Betty and whispered in her ear;

"Ask her if you can publish that detail, Many people in the Wizarding world don't want to publicise that they have magical creature blood in them and you do great disrespect to them if you do it without asking them first."

She nodded as she circled the point of grandmother's hair in her notepad.

"Yes," said Mr. Ollivander, "yes, I've never used Veela hair myself, of course. I find it makes for rather temperamental wands - however, to each his own, and if this suits you -"

Mr. Ollivander ran his fingers along the wand, apparently checking for scratches or bumps; then he muttered, "Orchideous!" and a bunch of flowers burst from the wand tip.

Naruto took a photo of this moment.

"Very well, very well, it's in fine working order," said Mr. Ollivander, scooping up the flowers and handing them to Fleur with her wand.  
"Mr. Diggory, you next."

Fleur glided back to her seat, smiling at Cedric as he passed her.

"Ah, now, this is one of mine, isn't it?" said Mr. Ollivander, with much more enthusiasm, as Cedric handed over his wand.  
"Yes, I remember it well. Containing a single hair from the tail of a particularly fine male Unicorn - must have been seventeen hands; nearly gored me with his horn after I plucked his tail. Twelve and a quarter inches - ash - pleasantly springy. It's in fine condition - You treat it regularly?"

"Polished it last night," said Cedric, grinning.

Mr. Ollivander sent a stream of silver smoke rings across the room from the tip of Cedric's wand, pronounced himself satisfied, This was Naruto's photo and then Ollivander said,  
"Mr. Krum, if you please."

Viktor Krum got up and slouched, round-shouldered and duck-footed, toward Mr. Ollivander. He thrust out his wand and stood scowling, with his hands in the pockets of his robes.

"Hmm," said Mr. Olhivander, "this is a Gregorovitch creation, unless I'm much mistaken? A fine wand-maker, though the styling is never quite what I - however -"

He lifted the wand and examined it minutely, turning it over and over before his eyes.

"Yes - hornbeam and Dragon heartstring?" he shot at Krum, who nodded.

"Rather thicker than one usually sees - quite rigid - ten and a quarter inches - Avis!"

The hornbeam wand let off a blast hike a gun, and a number of small, twittering birds flew out of the end and through the open window into the watery sunlight.  
Naruto's shot.

"Good," said Mr. Ollivander, handing Krum back his wand.  
"Which leaves - Mr. Potter."

Harry got to his feet and walked past Krum to Mr. Ollivander. He handed over his wand.

"Aaaah, yes," said Mr. Ohlivander, his pale eyes suddenly gleaming.  
"Yes, yes, yes. How well I remember."

"Holly - eleven inches long - and single feather from the tail of a Phoenix."

This surprised Naruto, He looked at Harry but he seemed lost in thought; Naruto whispered into Betty's ear about how Phoenix made most loyal of companions.

Ollivander spent more time on Harry's wand then most. Eventually, however, he made a fountain of wine shoot out of it, and handed it back to Harry, announcing that it was still in perfect condition.  
This was Naruto's photo.

"Thank you all," said Dumbledore, standing up at the judges' table.  
"You may go back to your lessons now - or perhaps it would be quicker just to go down to dinner, as they are about to end -"

Naruto got up to leave first, but the man with the black camera jumped up and cleared his throat.

"Photos, Dumbledore, photos!" cried Bagman excitedly.  
"All the judges and champions, what do you think, Rita?"

"Er - yes, let's do those first," said Rita Skeeter, whose eyes were upon Harry again.  
"And then perhaps some individual shots."

"Naruto?" Cedric asked Naruto, motioning him over.

"I still have time to turn in my Potions work, but you guys go nuts!" Naruto said as he left without another look to the people.

* * *

_**Two days later,** _

During breakfast, Naruto was sitting alone, reading a book on Herbology that Neville had suggested when Betty suddenly appeared beside him.

"Did you read it!?"  
Panic was evident in her voice.

"Read what?" Naruto said, His focus on the book and his bowl of oats making him ignorant to the panic and anger in his girlfriend's voice.

"The Prophet!" Betty said clearly getting angrier with his lack of attention.

Naruto however continued not noticing it and kept his focus entirely on his food and book.

However he did chose to say the thing that he had learned to say whenever Prophet was mentioned.

"Don't worry about that, half of it is made up."

"Not this part!"

"What part?"

He continued callously.

"Read it now Naruto Namikaze!"  
Her tone this time and use of his full name finally brought his entire attention to her.

She shoved the paper in his face and he took and started reading.

Rita Skeeter had published her piece about the Triwizard Tournament, and it had turned out to be not so much a report on the tournament as a highly colored life story of Harry.

Much of the front page had been given over to a picture of Harry; the article (continuing on pages two, six, and seven) had been all about Harry.

The names of the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang champions were misspelled and had been squashed into the last line of the article, and Cedric hadn't been mentioned at all.

"It's about Harry." Naruto remarked.

"Keep reading!" She said and he did.

Rita Skeeter had reported Harry saying an awful lot of things.

"I suppose I get my strength from my parents. I know they'd be very proud of me if they could see me now - Yes, sometimes at night I still cry about them, I'm not ashamed to admit it - I know nothing will hurt me during the tournament, because they're watching over me"

Harry has at last found love at Hogwarts.

His close friend, Colin Creevey, says that Harry is rarely seen out of the company of one Hermione Granger, a stunningly pretty Muggle-born girl who, he previously thought to be dating another exceptionally brilliant Warlock, Naruto U. Namikaze, but now it's confirmed that Naruto is actually dating another beautiful and brilliant Muggle-born girl, Elizabeth Cooper.

"No." Naruto muttered in absolute horror and panic, so much so that his words were in whispering state of panic, he did not want this to be true.

"If my family found out I am dating you and I haven't told them they will kill me!" Naruto said in panic.

"My mom gets The Prophet to be up to date with, as she says, 'My World', if she found out I am dating - and especially you, she will do the absolute worst!" Betty muttered.

Naruto felt worried at this.

"What is that?" Naruto gulped.

"She'll want to host a dinner." Betty said.

* * *

Naruto, Harry and Hermione were in the library.

Naruto was trying to get some of his homework done, while Harry and Hermione worked on Harry's Summoning charm.

Harry and Naruto still haven't had a sit down to talk about everything that had happened but unlike Ron, who chose to ignore Harry, Naruto would often, as often he could be with him to give Harry a chance to start a chat.

Viktor Krum was in the library an awful lot too and Naruto wondered what he was up to.  
Was he studying, or was he looking for things to help him through the first task?

Hermione often complained about Krum being there - not that he ever bothered them - but because groups of giggling girls often turned up to spy on him from behind bookshelves and Hermione found the noise distracting.

"He's not even good-looking!" she muttered angrily, glaring at Krum's sharp profile.

"They only like him because he's famous! They wouldn't look twice at him if he couldn't do that WonkyFaint thing -"

"That's not a nice thing to say, Everyone is beautiful in their own rights." Naruto muttered from behind his book.

He wasn't reading it, it was on his face as he tried to take a quick nap.

Suddenly Luna came running in the library, she spotted the three and made her way to them, ignoring Harry and Hermione, she shook Naruto.  
He got up with a startle, and ended up stepping up.

"What is it Lu?" He asked.

She pulled him down and whispered in his ears, as kept speaking Naruto's eyes went wider and wider.  
Finally when she was done, he asked.

"Are you sure?"

She nodded furiously.

"Let's go then! This is great! I have a ton of material on them, This will be easy for you. Let's go!"  
He said as he started to dash out of the library with a fast 'see you later' to Harry and Hermione.

Naruto followed Luna to Hagrid's hut where Hagrid stood with Ginny and another red haired man, this man was none other than Charlie Weasley.

"Finally, you made it!" Ginny exclaimed.

"He was sleeping in the Library." Luna said as if that was meant to explain everything.

"Let's not dwell in the past, Charlie is speaking (sup man!), we are writing." Naruto said.

"Alright, 4 Dragons, Nesting," Charlie said.

"Breed?" Luna asked.

"Well, let's see, Hungarian Horntail, Common Welsh Green, Swedish Short-Snout and Chinese Fireball, that's all I know." Charlie told them.

"Nesting? That means it has something to do with Eggs or to prevent them from flying away? Or maybe they want the dragons to be as ferocious as they can be? We won't know for a while, anyways, Luna you can be done with the creature part of your cover sooner now." Naruto said out loud.

"Yeah! I will be done by tomorrow!"

Luna said as she hugged Ginny and went back to the castle.

"She ain't gonna be done by tomorrow, because of the data I'm going to give her." Naruto said just as she was out of earshot.

"You still have work?" Charlie asked Ginny.

"Yes, I have to write everything that happens in the round. I am quite nervous, now that my work will be the main article and also published nationally." Ginny said, with a nervous smile.

"Keep doin' what you are doin', it is working."  
Charlie reassured her with a smile.

"He is right, let's go, we can figure out all the theories in the office, maybe we can warn Harry about some of it." Naruto told Ginny.

Hagrid fidgeted nervously in his place, which went unnoticed by everyone.


	54. Book 4 Chapter 11: The First Task

"You knew! And you three didn't tell me till now!" Betty said as she followed Ginny, Luna and Naruto to the stadium set for the first task of the Triwizard tournament.  
She was pinching Naruto's hair from behind.

"Ow! I thought they would have told you! Ow!" Naruto moaned.

"We thought the exact same way! Sorry!" Ginny apologised.

"Of course, I forgive you two, I will only punish our ring leader for this error." Betty stated.

"Yeah yeah, wait - you said two? -ring leader? You don't mean me!" Naruto cried out.

Betty just folded her hands behind her back and turned her face opposite to Naruto with a 'hmph!'

"Betty ~!" Naruto moaned.

As they reached the stands Naruto set up his tripod and sat down near it and then he started to write random stuff in a scroll to set it up like the banner he did during the world cup while the three girls sat around him with Omniculars ready to view the match.

They were soon joined by Hermione, Ron, Neville, Dean and Sheamus. All of them being the only ones that had not worn the Potter stinks badges.

They were all talking amongst themselves when Fred and George's voices came from somewhere near them.

"Bets! Place your bets!" Fred exclaimed.

"Bets taken! Bets taken here!" George joined him.

"Step up, folks! Who fancies a flutter in today's bloodbath?" Fred.

"Smart money's on Krum to survive! Any bets?" George.

Betty, Hermione or Ginny might have wanted to comment on there rudeness towards their friends but they were beaten by a very familiar voice behind them.

"I've got a couple of things to bet on!" Naruto shouted as he dug into his pockets.  
Fred and George smiled at each other and made their way towards him.

"What do you want to bet on mate?" Fred.

"Remember if it's you, you have to be right to the 't'!" George pointed.

"Yeah - Yeah! You bozos! Stop snickering about my secrets, if you don't want me spill yours!" Naruto said as he took out 2 Galleons from his pocket.

Fred and George still kept snickering, as Fred took the money from Naruto and George took out a piece of parchment.

"One-to-ten on there is a draw and one-to-five on Harry getting most hurt."

"Naruto!"  
Hermione, Ginny and Betty said at the same time. While Luna and the others started giggling.

"What!? I said 'hurt' , at least I'm betting on him surviving, How many dead Harry did you two get till now?" Naruto asked.

"At least 50." George said as he handed Naruto his slip.

There was the sound of canon and the twins stayed beside the group, the Quidditch team joined them as a blueish-gray Dragon was brought into the stadium.

"Swedish Short-Snout." Luna muttered.

"Yeah." Naruto whispered, as he leaned on the railing to get comfortable.

Cedric came into the clearing and started to dodge and weave through the angry dragon's attacks, trying to get to her eggs.

Finally he settled on an idea and transfigurated a rock into a dog, the dog ran in opposite direction and for a while that worked.

Cedric was able to get close enough but the dragon changed it's mind in the middle and burned half of Cedric's face, even then he was able to get the egg and the handlers moved to calm the Dragon.

"What did you think Naruto?" Ginny asked.

"I don't really know - but if I was down there with my arsenal of spells, I wouldn't bother with diversions and confusions, would go straight with filling the entire space with water and moving the egg towards me, no damage to anyone, quick and efficient."

"Like in the Chamber." Ginny whispered.

Everyone stared at her blankly, nobody apart from those that were told the story in detail, that night, knew what exactly happened in the chamber.

Not even Hermione did, as on Naruto's suggestion Ginny didn't relive the night and avoided talking about it to non essential people as much as she could,  
others also chose to never ask her questions about that night. Naruto looked back at her and said.

"Yeah."

They stood in silence till Fleur's name was announced. She was facing a green dragon.  
After some moving around and hiding, she finally cast a spell that put the dragon in a trance state, it fell asleep where it stood, taking this chance to move to grab the egg, she approached.

"That's a bad idea." Charlie muttered, he had joined the group to spectate.

"Why?" Ginny asked.

"Cause, Welsh Green are respiratory system based Fire breathers." Naruto answered.

"That means -" Hermione started.

"If it snores -" Ron finished.

As if waiting for a cue, the dragon snored and released fire that lit her skirt on fire.  
She was able to get the egg, extinguish the flames on her skirt without losing focus.

The crowd cheered for her.

Then Krum's turn came and the crowd cheered loudly, Krum was far better than the last two.

He cast a Conjunctivitis curse on the dragon making it stumble, it broke some of its eggs but Krum was able to get an egg relatively easily.  
After his turn the silence that came was amazing, after all it was the wild card's turn.

"- Final Champion, Harry Potter." Bagman announced.

As soon as Harry entered he waved his wand and said loudly.

"Accio Firebolt!"

Naruto looked over the sky behind Harry and saw it, it was speeding through the air, his Firebolt.

Harry turned and saw his Firebolt hurtling toward him around the edge of the woods, soaring into the enclosure, and stopping dead in midair beside him, waiting for him to mount.

Harry swung his leg over the broom and kicked off from the ground.  
He flew high and is a twister, Harry showed skill on broom that he had not previously.  
He kept dodging the fire but one of the horntail's tail attacks collided and left a cut on his shoulder.  
Naruto studied Harry's flight pattern and realised suddenly.

"Holy Shit! Yes! Keep going mate!" Naruto shouted.

"What is it? What's happening?" Ron asked.

"He's trying to make the horntail fly after him or at least leave the nest long enough -" Naruto.

"For him to fly in!" Betty finished, also realising the pattern as soon as Naruto pointed it out.

Like the two said, the Horntail spread its wings and lifted off, trying to get hold of Harry but that was more than enough space for Harry to fly under the Horntail, to get the egg.  
Just as Harry did. Naruto jumped up in excitement while screaming. Joined by others.

"YES!"  
Unknown to him this was really the first thing Harry registered. That along with cheering from other's made him realise that he did good.

"Look at that!" Bagman was yelling.

"Will you look at that! Our youngest champion is quickest to get his egg! Well, this is going to shorten the odds on Mr. Potter!"

The dragon keepers rushed forward to subdue the Horntail and over at the entrance to the enclosure, Professor McGonagal, Professor Moody and Hagrid hurrying to meet him.

All of them waving him toward them, their smiles evident even from the distance.

Ron and Hermione left to check on Harry, while Naruto stayed behind with others, all of them waited for Harry's results.

Madame Maxime - raise her wand in the air. What looked like a long silver ribbon shot out of it, which twisted itself into a large figure eight.

Mr. Crouch came next. He shot a number nine into the air.

Next, Dumbledore. He too put up a nine. The crowd was cheering harder than ever.

Ludo Bagman- ten

Igor Karkaroff- four.

"That biased human piece of shit!"

Naruto exclaimed first, others from Gryffindor following his suit and screaming after him.

Later when they all made their way back to the castle.  
Naruto ran to meet up with Harry, Ron and Hermione with Charlie behind him.  
They arrived just as Ludo did, but he didn't care, he put a hand on Harry's head and rustled his hair.

"Great job mate! You did it!" Naruto shouted.

"You're tied in first place, Harry! You and Krum!" said Charlie Weasley, hurrying to meet them as well.

"Listen, I've got to run, I've got to go and send Mum an owl, I swore I'd tell her what happened - but that was unbelievable!"  
Charlie patted Harry's good shoulder and left, Bagman finally spoke as the other three champion made it as well.

"Well done, all of you!" said Ludo Bagman, bouncing into the tent and looking as pleased as though he personally had just got past a dragon.

"Now, just a quick few words. You've got a nice long break before the second task, which will take place at half past nine on the morning of February the twenty-fourth - "

"- but we're giving you something to think about in the meantime! If you look down at those golden eggs you're all holding, you will see that they open - see the hinges there?"

"You need to solve the clue inside the egg - because it will tell you what the second task is, and enable you to prepare for it! All clear? Sure? Well, off you go, then!"

They all finally made it to castle, on the way Hermione retold the entire Ron and Harry making-up story much to the amusement of Naruto, who kept laughing at their embarrassed faces.

As Hermione finished, Naruto silently muttered.

"You made up and hugged without me?"

"Wha -?" Harry muttered.

Hermione however threw herself at Naruto, hugging him from behind and kissing his cheek, Ron and Harry laughed as they also joined in and now the group was truly complete

They all giggled and laughed as they made it to the castle.


	55. Book 4 Chapter 12: Bravest Boy I Know

They all were separating from the rest of school as they head to Gryffindor tower but before they could be on there way completely, Harry said.

"Reckon Sirius is in UK? Last we talked he was somewhere in Serbia. I was thinking I could tell him everything, about what happened in the first round."

"He's in London." Naruto answered.

"Who do you know?" Ron asked.

"He wrote to me about something unrelated from London. He told me he will be in London for the foreseeable future. That's how I know." Naruto answered truthfully.

They all looked at him weird, especially Harry, they wanted him to elaborate.

"He wanted me to keep an eye on the Death Eaters in the castle right now, and to look after you as much as I can without raising suspicion from you. I have been helping him and some others since Wormtail escaped. Remember the list from the World Cup?"  
They nodded.

"It was a set of names of Death Eaters that escaped prosecution, one way or another." He finished.

"So, they were the ones that cast the Dark Mark?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, hell no! They were scared shit less as soon as it occurred, they dispersed just as the mark was cast, I thought it could be her, in the bushes near where we were, so I went to check but it wasn't. As I said, a man cast the Dark Mark." Naruto answered.

"Her?" Ron.

"Someone amongst the Death eaters that I fought before I met up with you guys, she's extremely capable, now can we drop this and get over with the letter, I am starving!"

They used Hedwig to send a letter to Sirius and then, Ron said,  
"Well, we'd better get downstairs for your surprise party, Harry - Fred and George should have nicked enough food from the kitchens by now."

Sure enough, when they entered the Gryffindor common room it exploded with cheers and yells again.

There were mountains of cakes and flagons of pumpkin juice and butterbeer on every surface;  
Lee Jordan had let off some Filibuster's Fireworks, so that the air was thick with stars and sparks; and Dean Thomas, who was very good at drawing, had put up some impressive new banners, most of which depicted Harry zooming around the Horntail's head on his Firebolt, though a couple showed Cedric with his head on fire.

Harry, Ron and Hermione chose to sit together while Naruto cornered Betty behind one of the curtains and started kissing her. She giggled and started kissing him too.

They both didn't pay much attention to what was happening around them until both of them heard a horrible noise, a loud and screechy wailing, filled the room.

Naruto's look was out of place in the room.  
While everyone was covering their ears to prevent ear damage, he was the only one that looked curious.

"Shut it!" Fred bellowed, his hands over his ears.

"What was that?" said Seamus, staring at the egg as Harry slammed it shut again.  
"Sounded like a banshee - Maybe you've got to get past one of those next, Harry!"

"It was someone being tortured!" said Neville, who had gone very white and spilled sausage rolls all over the floor.

"You're going to have to fight the Cruciatus Curse!"

Naruto turned to stare at Neville and decided something important that very moment.

"Don't be a prat, Neville, that's illegal," said George.  
"They wouldn't use the Cruciatus Curse on the Champions. I thought it sounded a bit like Percy singing - maybe you've got to attack him while he's in the shower. Harry."

They all giggled, Naruto moved briefly to sit on the arm of the sofa as Betty was pulled away by a friend. He also decided on something.

"Want a jam tart, Hermione?" said Fred.

Hermione looked doubtfully at the plate he was offering her. Fred grinned.

"It's all right," he said. "I haven't done anything to them. It's the custard creams you've got to watch -"

Neville, who had just bitten into a custard cream, choked and spat it out. Fred Laughed.

"Just my little joke, Neville -"

Hermione took a jam tart. Then she said, "Did you get all this from the kitchens, Fred?"

"Yep," said Fred, grinning at her. He put on a high-pitched squeak and imitated a house-elf.  
"'Anything we can get you, sir, anything at all!' They're dead helpful - get me a roast ox if I said I was peckish."

"How do you get in there?" Hermione said in an innocently casual sort of voice.

"Easy," said Fred, "concealed door behind a painting of a bowl of fruit. Just tickle the pear, and it giggles and -"  
He stopped and looked suspiciously at her. "Why?"

"Nothing," said Hermione quickly.

"Going to try and lead the house-elves out on strike now, are you?" said George.  
"Going to give up all the leaflet stuff and try and stir them up into rebellion?"

Several people chortled. Hermione didn't answer.

"Don't you go upsetting them and telling them they've got to take clothes and salaries!" said Fred warningly.  
"Come on Hermione, we have been over this before, your idea of progression is disrespectful to their culture."

"Yeah, and then with your actions you'll put them off their cooking!"

Just then, Neville caused a slight diversion by turning into a large canary.

"Oh - sorry, Neville!" Fred shouted over all the laughter.  
"I forgot - it was the custard creams we hexed -"

Within a minute, however, Neville had molted, and once his feathers had fallen off, he reappeared looking entirely normal. He even joined in laughing.

"Canary Creams!" Fred shouted to the excitable crowd.  
"George and I invented them - seven Sickles each, a bargain!"

Everybody returned to celebrating soon afterwards.

Naruto turned to Neville;

"Hey, I was wondering, I know some places by the black lake where we can get some good herbs, you interested in a day out for collecting?" He asked Neville,

Neville, who had a butter beer in hand didn't even wait to reply and immediately decided to nod positively.

"Yeah, definitely, next Sunday?" Neville asked.

"Sure." Naruto told Neville as he started talking to someone else.

Naruto returned to talk to the morons but couldn't keep himself from staring at the egg.

Suddenly he was pulled off of the sofa and dragged back to the corner by two hands and he was twisted to face his snatcher.

He was once again behind the curtains to look at the girl he had previously pinned to the wall.

"Wha-?" Naruto muttered with a squished face.

"Everybody heard a screeching scream but you didn't, did you?" Betty said putting more pressure on his face, his face turning to a duck face.

"Mayhbeh." He muttered.

"Naru!" Betty said.

"Alright, Alright!"  
He put his hand on hers and removed them from his face and put them on his chest. He leaned in close and whispered in her ear.

"That's merpeople singing."

"What?" She screamed.

"Shhhh!"

"Sorry! What does merpeople have to do with the next task?" She whispered.

"Don't know, I couldn't make out anything, since they closed it a before I could make out what was up, but you will be the first to know if I do. Now."

He whispered once again as he started to kiss her neckline, then cheek and lips.  
After another 5 minutes of making out they separated, to join the others in celebrating.

* * *

Like Naruto had suggested, him and Neville had made their way to the Black Lake. As Naruto had told him, they headed to the place where no one would disturb them.

It was brimming with magical plants and an hour later Naruto and Neville were covered with mud but their collecting kits were filled with magical plants.

At the moment they were sharing coffee and looking at the lake ripple.

"Thanks for this Naruto, you've always supported me and helped me whenever I needed it the most." Neville said out of nowhere.

"You don't lack support mate, you look towards others for validation while you actually don't need it - I don't 'help' you mate, I just like spending time with you." Naruto answered as he took a sip

"I know what you mean, but I'm not good at everything like you and Hermione, I'm not as famous as Harry and I don't have support as Ron does - don't get me wrong, my gran loves me but I think, if I'm not like my father, she'll never be proud of me."

"I kinda see where you are coming from, but do you remember our first year -"

"Yeah, when I ran down the stairs with the sorting hat on."  
Neville got red in the ears remembering that.

"No - No, much later, after our exams were over. The night, when you stood up to the same Famous Potter, Brilliant Granger and The youngest Weasley boy? Why'd you do that?"  
Neville's ears got redder.

"Because - because if I didn't and they caused more trouble, that would have cost Gryffindor more points."

"Sure, but why? Why stand up for a house you've not been a part of for even a year? Friends, I would have got that one but you stood up to your friends for your house, why?"

"I don't know - because it was against the rules, it was wrong."

"Oh come on! You've been with us long enough to know, we cannot be the ones to judge other's right and wrongs."

"Because of family!"

Neville finally blurted out, Naruto smiled behind his back.

"Because to me, family has always been the ones you want to be with, the ones you want in your good or bad, the ones you think most about. Gran and others, I love them and they love me but when I'm failing, I don't want them there, I want you guys."

"That's the Neville I know, you are brave man, you can be confident where you want to, you will be brave and powerful when the situation demands you to be."

Neville smiled back at Naruto as both of them kept staring at the lake.

"So, never feel bad for being you, you will the bravest of us all when you need to be." Naruto told him.

There was a comfortable silence between the two for a few minutes, suddenly Neville started to speak again.

"Speaking of bravery, do you know what happened to my parents?"  
"Something to do with Cruciatis Curse I suppose -" Naruto answered.

Neville turned to Naruto with shock.

"I've had an inkling since Moody's class, I didn't have the courage to ask."  
Naruto explained.

Neville got over his shock and started speaking once again.

"They were tortured to insanity by Bellatrix, Rodolphus, and Rabastan Lestrange; and Bartemius Crouch Jr. They wanted to know where You-know-who was, it was after Harry defeated him."

"If they couldn't get knowledge about him, they wanted to know about Harry but they didn't tell them anything. They just took it. They are still alive, but they don't remember anything."  
Neville's eyes were wet by now.

"I'm not ashamed of them, you know. It's just that -

"You are worried, that if those Slytherin's found out about it, they'll ruin your parents memories."

"Yeah -"

"Listen to me, the only things you need to feel about your parents is love and pride. What they did? Nobody - I mean Nobody could do that!"

"You did -" Neville whispered.

"That's because of my father, and my healing factor. I heal faster than normal wizards do."

There was silence once again, the sun had crossed more than half its path to the horizon, the ripples had become more powerful by now.

"Well, I'll balance the scales then, I tell you about my dad."  
Naruto said as now it was Neville's turn to be extremely attentive.

"My Dad was the strongest guy in Japan, top five in Asia and top 10 in the world. Wizards like Voldemort and even Dumbledore didn't stand a chance against him."

Neville looked back at Naruto, who was looking at the sky now.

"He was the one to go to solve problems, and 'The People' had a problem, A cult, calling themselves 'Brothers of Chaos' had set their eyes on them and my Grandma. My dad didn't take that well -"

"- He stood upto the entire damn cult all alone. They were flying towards Japan from China, He intercepted them on the sea."

"A battle of thousand wizards against my dad, He defeated all of them, all alone; but the damage to him, it was too much and he died due to them."

Naruto looked down again.

"I don't talk about him because even though I'm very much proud to be his son but can you think - I mean, of course you can, you have the same thing. We are sons of our fathers. Legends, we don't hold candles to those guys. If we want to stand out -"

"We need to be better, braver and bolder." Neville completed for him.

Naruto smiled and said,

"Yeah - anyway, let's go or Filch will skin us alive. He's been waiting to do that to me ever since I changed Mrs. Norris to the broom he used to wash his gate I painted."

Neville gave a laugh between horror and joyous.

"When was that?" He asked.

"Last week." Naruto answered with a smirk.

They both ran back to the castle just in time to escape Filch's punishment.

* * *

The days of December were going on as they normally did, filling people with holiday spirits and showing off.

One of those days however Naruto while returning from his Ancient Runes class alone, because Hermione had ran away as soon as the class ended, was in desperate craving for a cup of Coffee.

He could get one tomorrow at breakfast but he needed one now, he was almost addicted to both Traditional Japanese Tea and Coffee.

So, remembering the instructions given to him by Fred and George, Naruto made his way into the kitchen to get his fix.

As he did, he spotted at least a hundred little elves standing around the kitchen, beaming, bowing, and curtsying as they spotted Naruto.  
They were all wearing the same uniform: a tea towel stamped with the Hogwarts crest, and tied like a toga.

One of them came close to him.

"Anything we can help with sir?" He asked.

"Yeah, I was wondering if I could get a cup of coffee, if possible." He asked.

They beamed and muttered, of course, no problem and other things as a mug filled with coffee and sugar cubes in a bowl on a tray floating towards him.  
He picked it up, added sugar and took a sip.

"Ah! Amazing!"  
He said as he thanked the elves, he sat down on a chair near a wall when the gates swung open again, in stepped Harry, Hermione and Ron.

When an elf hurtled toward Harry from the middle of the room, squealing, "Harry Potter, sir! Harry Potter!" and hugged him.

"D-Dobby?" Harry gasped.

"It is Dobby, sir, it is!" squealed the voice from somewhere around his navel.  
"Dobby has been hoping and hoping to see Harry Potter, sir, and Harry Potter has come to see him, sir!"

"Naruto?"  
Ron said as he spotted Naruto sitting in the corner, enjoying coffee. Hermione immediately tensed on spotting him.

"This is why you ran. I told you not to spread your ideas to them, I will not let you disrespect them Hermione." He said as he stood up.

"That's not why I am here! I just wanted Harry to met Dobby!"

Hermione said, Ron and Naruto both didn't look convinced but said nothing.

"Dobby, what're you doing here?"

Harry continued.  
"Dobby has come to work at Hogwarts, sir!" Dobby squealed excitedly.

"Professor Dumbledore gave Dobby and Winky jobs, sir!

"Winky?" said Harry.  
"She's here too?"

"Yes, sir, yes!" said Dobby, and he seized Harry's hand and pulled him off into the kitchen between the four long wooden tables that stood there.

Each of these tables were positioned exactly beneath the four House tables above, in the Great Hall. At the moment, they were clear of food.

Dobby stopped in front of the brick fireplace and pointed.  
"Winky, sir!" he said.

Winky was sitting on a stool by the fire. Unlike Dobby, she had obviously not foraged for clothes.  
She was wearing a neat little skirt and blouse with a matching blue hat, which had holes in it for her large ears.

However, while every one of Dobby's strange collections of garments was so clean and well cared for that it looked brand-new, Winky was plainly not taking care other clothes at all. There were soup stains all down her blouse and a burn in her skirt.

"Hello, Winky," said Harry.

Winky's lip quivered. Then she burst into tears, which spilled out of her great brown eyes and splashed down her front, just as they had done at the Quidditch World Cup.

"Oh dear," said Hermione. Other three having followed Harry and Dobby to the end of the kitchen.  
"Winky, don't cry, please don't -"

However Winky cried harder than ever. Dobby, on the other hand, beamed up at Harry.

"Would Harry Potter like a cup of tea?" he squeaked loudly, over Winky's sobs.

"Er - yeah, okay," said Harry.

"None for me, I've had my coffee but I am grateful for the delicious cup, now if you would excuse me, I have something to do. Ron watch over her." Naruto said as he left after pointing at Hermione.


	56. Book 4 Chapter 13: The Yule Ball

_**Next day during breakfast** _

Naruto and Hermione at one side with Naruto reading a book and Hermione reading the daily prophet.

While Ron and Harry on the other side eating they're breakfast, or more precisely Harry was looking over at the Ravenclaw table, specifically at Cho as Ron was busy stuffing his face.

At the moment Harry was drinking his juice, when one of Cho's friends told her that Harry was looking at her.

At this Cho looked at him and gave him a smile, he was so busy looking at her that even the basic functions of his body weren't function, like common sense as he spilled his juice all over him trying to smile back, Naruto having witnessed this shot;

"Smooth."

"Shut up!" Harry said.  
Suddenly Hermione exclaimed.

"Look at this."  
She placed the paper on the table,  
"I can't believe it! She's done it again."  
She said looking at the three boys.

Who gave their undivided attention to her. She turned the paper and started reading.

"Miss Granger, a plain but ambitious girl seems to be developing a taste for famous wizards. Her latest prey, sources report, is none other than the Bulgarian bonbon, Viktor Krum."  
She turned to them to see all of them having a smile on their faces. Ignoring there looks she continued.

"No word yet on how Harry Potter's taking this latest emotional blow."

As she ended this a swirl of owls came, each carrying quite big packages, dropping packages by each student.

Naruto caught three packages that were all dropped at the same time towards them, a single letter on them.

* * *

_I took money from Harry's vaults with Bill's help for this, hope you don't mind. He couldn't get inside Naruto's due to it being most secure vault. Ron's is borrowed._

_Hermione's is sent from her parents as I informed them about the occasion._

_Mrs. Weasley_

* * *

Naruto read loud enough so that only the three could hear it, Hermione instantly realising what this was about snatched her package and hid it.

Harry's arm was in a sling so he didn't open his but Ron did.

Ron took an old looking dress robe out of the package.  
As soon as he did Hermione started laughing looking at it and Naruto just smirked.  
Ron took it completely out and stood up to see it's completely while Harry went through the package.

"Mum sent me a dress." Ron said.

Others throughout the Hall having noticed him started giggling. Even Fred and George.

"Well, it does match your eyes. Is there a bonnet?"  
Harry said as he went through the rest of the package to take out a bonnet as he did, he said.

"Ahaa!" and matched the Bonnet to Ron's figure.

"Nose down, Harry" Ron said with a smile of his own. As he elbowed Harry's hand away. Harry complied.

Ron walked towards Ginny and Betty who were also looking at him.

"Ginny, these must be for you." He said.

Ginny instantly replied.

"I'm not wearing that, it's ghastly."

Hermione's giggling intensified.

"What are you on about?" Ron asked.

Naruto was the one that answered.

"They're not for Ginny. They're for you mate. Dress robes." Naruto answered.

Everybody lost their mind at that and started laughing like crazy.

"Dress robes? For what?"

"Yule Ball." Hermione answered.

* * *

_**Later that day** _

There was a notice on the board in Gryffindor tower for all third years and above to meet in one of the halls by the Gryffindor tower after last class.

As all students started to pack into the hall Naruto arrived seconds ahead of McGonagall, due to having spent the last hour serving detention under her.

It was a surprise he made it here, since she had left full 10 minutes before he did and so, he had to run here through crowds and crowds of students.

As she saw him, he smiled at her and entered the room to find everyone sorted on opposite sides of the hall.

Boys on right and girls on the left, He entered and stood beside Fred and George.

McGonagall entered, waved her wand and a table appeared in the middle of the hall. A giant phonograph on it. She looked over all the students once and started.

"The Yule Ball has been the tradition of the Triwizard Tournament since its inception. On Christmas Eve night, we and our guests gather in the Great hall for a night of well-mannered frivolity." She paused to gauge everyone's reaction still getting a silent crowd she continued.

"As representatives of the host school, I expect each and everyone of you to put your best foot forward and I mean this literally, because the Yule Ball is, first and foremost a dance."

This was it, every single student in the room broke into conversation. Fred, George and Naruto shared a 'What the hell' look but before they could shout their concerns. McGonagall shouted.

"Silence!" Students obeyed.

"The house of Godric Gryffindor has commanded the respect of the wizard world for nearly 10 centuries. I will not have you, in the course of a single evening, besmirching that name by behaving like a babbling, bumbling band of baboons."

Others started saying stuff amongst each other but Naruto's focus was taken by Betty, who was smiling at him from the other side. A smug look on her face.  
Naruto took off his sweater and threw it in his bag. As soon as McGonagall said.

"Everybody come together. Boys, on your feet!"  
He didn't care that the rest of his bravehearts sulked into their seats. He pushed forward and met with Betty in the middle and whispered.

"Can you handle it Cooper?"

She smiled back at him and said.

"Better than anyone else, Namikaze."

The world fell into silence.

After the class, Betty had asked her parents for a dress and just before the holiday list could come around, Betty got a reply, no dress.

Wondering if her mother disapproved because, since she had not given any output to the article in the prophet. It might be because they didn't talk about it.

Hermione and Ginny were with her in the library when the letter arrived. They instantly moved to read the letter.

* * *

_Dear Elizabeth,_

_Your father and I are extremely sorry to tell you this, but you cannot stay in the school over the holidays, because we need you to come back and join us as we need to head back to America._

_It's about your sister, we didn't inform you about it before but she ran away to America with the money she saved over the years, your father went to find her but now, he needs us back as well. I am really sorry to ruin this for you but please come back._

_Mom_

* * *

Both of them looked at Betty as tears streamed down her face, she said.

"I have to go."

"We know." Ginny instantly said;

"But what about Naruto?" She asked.

"He will understand, let me go and find him." Hermione said as she left while Ginny moved to console her.

* * *

_**Outside** _

Naruto was throwing a Quaffle on the ground with Angelina, Katie and Alicia.  
They all had the time off so they thought about doing this to relieve some tension.

"Your throws have gotten very good Angie but you still cannot swing it, can you?" He asked.

"It's difficult! Not all of us have the best chaser in the world to teach us!" She protested.

Naruto chuckled as he threw the ball in Alicia's direction but with a wide angle, the ball swung in the air and instead of going straight to Alicia, it curved and went straight into Katie's hands.

"That came from hard work woman!"  
Naruto exclaimed comically as they laughed.

Suddenly Hermione came running and whispered everything that had happened in the library to him.  
He picked up his bag from the ground and ran to the Library without any word. Hermione said in his place.

"Something extremely urgent came along! Sorry!" She ran after him.

Naruto ran through a group of first years, they screamed in protest at his shoving but he didn't give a damn.  
He only slowed down only when he reached the library, he entered and spotted Betty, Ginny was hugging her, she spotted him and she let go.

Naruto came and hugged Betty, as she was sitting and he was still standing, so he had to bent to completely embrace her. He let go and crouched by her chair, to look at her from below.

"Let's go, I am sure Professor McGonagall would let you leave a little earlier if we told her this, I'll come with you. Come on." He whispered.

"No! You are not coming! What about the dance?" She said.

"Screw the dance, you are more important to me than a stupid night dancing."

"No! We can go to talk about early departure but you are not going to London with me." She said.

"We'll talk about it later, come on." He said as he lifted her stuff, and took her with him to McGongall's office, hand in hand.  
They reached her office and told her everything.

"I will see if I can get permission for a portkey!" She said as they completed talking.

"That won't be necessary ma'am, I'll take her, if we have permission." Naruto said.

"But he won't be staying!" Betty interjected before he could say anything.

McGonagall thought how he would do that but his Phoenix's image came to her mind and she quickly wrote a permission form for Betty.  
She handed it to her and told Naruto.

"You have to come back Naruto! I can only give permission for only her."

Naruto clicked his tongue but reluctantly nodded as they moved to the common room.

They found all of Betty's stuff already packed and ready, curtesy of Hermione and Ginny, they helped clear the common room and Naruto whispered once it was clear.

"Amaterasu."

A red fire ball formed, directly above Naruto and Betty, and Amaterasu formed out of it.

"I'll be back in five minutes." With that he grabbed Amatersau's talon and him, Betty and her stuff caught fire and vanished.

* * *

Betty's mother with a packed bag was talking to her husband on the phone when Naruto and Betty appeared in a flash of red.

"Mom!"

"Betty?!"

She was looking at Naruto and the bird on top of his shoulder weirdly.

"I am leaving but you tell me everything the minute things change alright!" Naruto said.

He knew Betty would explain everything to her mother as soon as they got over there shocks, Betty just nodded to him and he once again burned away.

He returned almost immediately after he had vanished.

Hermione and Ginny told him he had done the right thing but he didn't feel like it, within the next 24 hours everyone knew that Betty Cooper had to return home.

They didn't know the heavy reason behind it, so in a moment a very precious thing was up for grabs, it was a chance to go to the Yule Ball with Naruto U. Namikaze.

So, within a day Naruto was also being followed around in the Library.

At the moment Hermione was throwing him a dirty look as a bunch of girls were whispering amongst themselves behind the shelf, that they were near.

"I am sorry." He whispered.

"You couldn't be less famous." She said.

She would have continued but the whispers doubled.

"Great! He is here, just what I needed, the 'silence'."

Krum came near them but today instead of continuing on his path he walked towards them.

Naruto raised his eyebrow but didn't say anything. Krum turned to Hermione.

"I was wondering if we could have a chat." He looked around and at Naruto then continued, "in private."

"I'll see you guys later, oh yeah -"

Naruto waved his wand around and suddenly all the girls that were on either side of the shelves eavesdropping, started screaming.

Complaining of sharp sounds as they were kicked out of the library by Madam Pince.

"- You're welcome."  
He left the library, now having a pretty good idea about why Krum was hanging around in the library so much.

He was walking where his legs took him and he unexpectedly found himself on the top of the Astronomy Tower.

However he was not alone, the last person he expected, was standing by the railings, she turned to see who has arrived and smiled.

"Hi stranger."

"Oh hell no! Delphini, You have no right to call me a stranger, I've been following your instruction, even though it kills me not to speak to you during Potions and Care of Magical Creatures." He said as he moved to lean next to her.

"You are right, I am sorry. You are failing though, if you keep looking at me like that, people will assume that you are dating Betty just to make me jealous," she joked.

"Do you know the truth?" He asked.

"From what I gathered so far, you are falling in love with her." She answered.

"Yes, and she knows the truth, so I don't care what anyone else thinks." He answered.

"Spoken like you haven't changed a bit in the last year, but that isn't true is it, Messenger?" 

"I have changed, so have you. It might just be that you and I have changed just enough to still fit together like we did last time we talked." 

She smiled.

"I want to be honest with you about something."

Naruto tensed, her smile dropped a little when she noticed this

"What is it?" He asked.

"It's something I can only tell you, not my father, mother, uncle or aunt, no one, a secret that I have been keeping from everyone, something I myself was confused about till sometime ago and I promise you that I am telling the truth, but I want you to promise me that you won't tell a soul about it, give me your word." She said.

"I promise in my father's grave." He said.

She gave a sigh of relief and said,

"I have been watching you from the start of the year, you and Betty both, and watching you both I felt something that confused me." She said.

"What is it Delphi?"

"I am equally attracted to you as I am to Betty."

Naruto remained silent, his brain processing what she had said, his brain took almost a minute to process what she had told him.

"Oh - ok - no - oh! Oh my god! I see! Delphi! I am sorry."

"What?" She was surprised at his words.

"Not in that way, I am sorry that you have to live a life in which you cannot tell everyone proudly how you feel, it's amazing! I am so happy for you, I am sorry I have to hug you, come here."  
He said as he didn't wait for her answer and hugged her tightly she was stunned for a few seconds.

She slowly raised her hand, shaking and hugged him back as moments passed she tightened the hold on him and then started crying, maybe for the first time since she was a toddler.  
She was crying for real, they stood there for atleast 10 minutes till Delphini spoke.

"Thank you."

He moved away and with both his hands holding her head, he looked her in the eyes, and said.

"With everything going on in your life, I want you to know, I will help you anyway I can, but I want you to promise me, you will never hurt an innocent person yourself intentionally." He said.

"I promise. In my war as The Bird, I, myself, will never hurt an innocent soul." She replied.

He smiled at her, kissed her forehead and said.

"I know I don't feel romantically attracted to you but if you haven't been asked by anyone yet, will you go to the Ball with me?" He asked.

"Definitely." She answered as he let go of her head.  
She kissed his cheek and was about to leave but something came to her and she turned back,

"I don't know when I will find steady love in my life but I have another request for you." She asked.

"What is it?" He asked.

"I really want to know what a kiss feels like." She muttered.

"Oh! Oh I don't know about that." He started.

"I will not tell anyone about it, I promise. On my honour." She said.

"Once, and It's because you have a tough life, but remember this does not mean I like you romantically. Do you agree?" He said,

"Yes I agree." She said as she came close to him once again.

He put hands on her neck while she clutched his collar, they both leaned in and Naruto kissed her, since he was taller he had to bend while she had to go on her toes.  
She kept leaning in deeper and deeper, finally after about a minute they separated.

"I hate to admit it but I am jealous of Elizabeth Cooper." Delphini stated as she kissed his cheek one last time and left without another word.

As soon as Delphini was out of earshot, Kurama appeared near his head, in her chibi form, floating. She turned to him.

"Never thought you would actually do it."

"This is war, and she is right, I have changed." Naruto answered as he turned around to look at the view. Kurama settled on his head.

"So? You will just let it unfold."

"You remember Madame Xanadu, she warned us that some events are fixed in time, knowing how they might unfold just prepares our hearts and minds but trying to change them can only worsen the effects on us."

"Or as you always say, you mess with time, it messes back. But we can't just forget this."

"We can hide it from ourselves, I will place the memories in some dark corner of my mind. You remember. When we need it, you can help me remember." He said.

She nodded and his eyes glowed blue and she vanished.

He turned back to the view and kept looking at it till he was disturbed by Hermione and Ginny both of whom knew. If nowhere then he was here.

They told him how Krum asked Hermione and Neville asked Ginny to the ball. After which they returned to the Common room.

* * *

The Hogwarts staff, demonstrating a continued desire to impress the visitors from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, seemed determined to show the castle at its best this Christmas.

When the decorations went up. They were the most stunning, better than any yet to be seen inside the school.

Everlasting icicles had been attached to the banisters of the marble staircase; the usual twelve Christmas trees in the Great Hall were bedecked with everything from luminous holly berries to real, hooting, golden owls, and the suits of armor had all been bewitched to sing carols whenever anyone passed them.

It was quite something to hear "O Come, All Ye Faithful" sung by an empty helmet that only knew half the words.  
Several times, Filch the caretaker had to extract Peeves from inside the armor, where he had taken to hiding, filling in the gaps in the songs with lyrics of his own invention, all of which were very rude.

At the moment the crowd was resting in the common room, Ron was building a card castle from exploding snap pack, Hermione was lecturing Harry on the egg, Naruto was filling his journals with some of the interesting discovery he had made last night.

He wasn't paying much attention to what the others were doing until the castle exploded, now he looked up to see Ron's soot covered face.

"Nice look, Ron - go well with your dress robes, that will."

It was Fred and George.

They sat down at the table with Harry, Ron, Naruto and Hermione as Ron felt how much damage had been done.

"Ron, can we borrow Pigwidgeon?" George asked.

"No, he's off delivering a letter," said Ron.  
"Why?"

"Because George wants to invite him to the ball," said Fred sarcastically.

"Because we want to send a letter, you stupid great prat," said George.

"Who d'you two keep writing to, eh?" said Ron.

"Nose out, Ron, or I'll burn that for you too," said Fred, waving his wand threateningly.  
"So - you lot got dates for the ball yet?"

"Nope." said Ron. Harry nodded.

"Yes." Naruto answered.

"Who?" Ron asked.  
Hermione groaned, he had told her that he had made arrangements but haven't told her who he was going with, he always said the same thing when asked, 'Betty knows and approves, so I'm not telling you.'

"None of your business." Naruto said as he gave them a smirk.

"Well, you'd better hurry up, mate, or all the good ones will be gone," said Fred.

"Who're you going with, then?" said Ron.

"Angelina," said Fred promptly, without a trace of embarrassment.

"What?" said Ron, taken aback.

"You've already asked her?"

"Good point," said Fred. He turned his head and called across the common room;  
"Oi! Angelina!"

Angelina, who had been chatting with Alicia Spinnet near the fire, looked over at him.

"What?" she called back.

"Want to come to the ball with me?"

Angelina gave Fred an appraising sort of look.

"All right, then," she said, and she turned back to Alicia and carried on chatting with a bit of a grin on her face.

"There you go," said Fred to Harry and Ron, "piece of cake."

"Not for these idiots, just don't embarrass your brothers here."  
Naruto said he got up and left, bumping fists with laughing Fred and George as he did. Not waiting for their reply.

* * *

_**Friday** _

Naruto, Dean and Sheamus were sitting in the lawn with Lavender and Parvati.  
All of them talking about the only topic in the school at the moment. The Yule Ball.

"Dean had already asked a senior girl and she said yes." Sheamus told Naruto.

"And you are without a date?" Naruto to Sheamus.

"Yes." Sheamus.

"Either of you without a date?" Naruto asked Lavender and Parvati.

"Both actually." Parvati said.

"Boys in our year don't know class, man! Sheamus ask either one of them. Right now!" Naruto said with a smile, the others were also smiling.  
Dean took knut out of his pocket and gave it to Sheamus, who flipped it and seeing what came up, went in from Lavender and went to his knees and asked,

"Will you go to the ball with me?" He asked with a smile.

"Yes!" Lavender answered and they started laughed.

"Oh look, the swans are here." Parvati suddenly said pointing to the girls of Baubaxton, who were walking across the lawn in a single file, between all the Hogwarts students.

Suddenly they saw Ron appear out of nowhere, that to in front of Fleur and screamed,

"WILL YOU GO TO THE BALL WITH ME?!"

Silence.

Nobody seemed to register what had happened, Naruto was the first to speak.

"What!?"

Suddenly Ron senses came back to him and he ran.

Ran as fast as he could in the opposite direction.  
Naruto realising what had happened finally, ran after him joined by Ginny and a few others.  
They found Ron halfway to Gryffindor tower standing still like a statue.

Naruto wanted to laugh but a quick elbow from Ginny prevented him from doing so, she helped coax Ron back to the common room, Naruto directly behind the group.

He had to cover his mouth to keep himself from laughing. Ginny led Ron to a corner table and whispered to him random stuff in soothing voices, Naruto standing behind Ron, his face purple.

"What's up, Ron?" said Harry, joining them.

Ron looked up at Harry, a sort of blind horror in his face.

"Why did I do it?" he said wildly.  
"I don't know what made me do it!"

"What?" said Harry.

"He - er - just asked Fleur Delacour to go to the ball with him," said Ginny.

She looked as though she was fighting back a smile especially with Naruto's purple face staring directly at her but she kept patting Ron's arm sympathetically.

"You what?" said Harry.

"I don't know what made me do it!" Ron gasped again.  
"What was I playing at? There were people - all around - I've gone mad - everyone watching! I was just walking through, ran into her and I don't know what came into me, i just asked her."

"She looked at me like I was a sea slug or something. Didn't even answer. And then - I dunno - I just sort of came to my senses and ran for it."

"She's part Veela," said Harry.  
"You were right - her grandmother was one. It wasn't your fault, I bet you just walked past when she was turning on the old charm. It's not your fault."

This was when Naruto lost it, kept laughing and shouting, retelling the story in bits between laughs, to the whole common room, who were all laughing with him.

While Ron and Harry tried continuing as if nothing was happening.

"This is mad," said Ron.  
"We're the only ones left who haven't got anyone - well, except Neville. Hey - guess who he asked? Hermione!"

"What?" said Harry, completely distracted by this startling news.

"Yeah, I know!" said Ron, some of the color coming back into his face as he started to chuckle.

"He told me after Potions! Said she's always been really nice, helping him out with work and stuff- but she told him she was already going with someone. Ha! As if! She just didn't want to go with Neville - I mean, who would?"

"Don't!" said Ginny, annoyed.  
"Don't laugh -"

Just then Hermione climbed in through the portrait hole. Looked around at what was going on and, since she could grasp the entire thing from Naruto's random words while laughing, she moved to ask the three.

"What's happening?"

"Naruto's making fun of them, because - oh shut up laughing, you two - because they've both just been turned down by girls they asked to the ball!" said Ginny.

That shut Harry and Ron up.  
However Naruto who came close to greet Hermione went crazy at Ginny's comment.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHA BOTH OF THEM GOT REJECTED AHAHAHAHAHAHA"

"Thanks a bunch, Ginny," said Ron sourly.

"All the good-looking ones taken, Ron?" said Hermione loftily.  
"Eloise Midgen starting to look quite pretty now, is she? Well, I'm sure you'll find someone somewhere who'll have you."

However Ron was staring at Hermione as though suddenly seeing her in a whole new light.

"Hermione, Neville's right - you are a girl -"

"Oh well spotted," she said acidly.

"Well - you can come with one of us!"

"No, I can't -" snapped Hermione.

"Oh come on," he said impatiently,  
"We need partners, we're going to look really stupid if we haven't got any, everyone else has -"

"I can't come with you," said Hermione, now blushing, "because I'm already going with someone."

"No, you're not!" said Ron.  
"You just said that to get rid of Neville!"

"Oh did I?" said Hermione, and her eyes flashed dangerously.  
"Just because it's taken you three years to notice, Ron, doesn't mean no one else has spotted I'm a girl!"

Ron stared at her. Then he grinned again.

"Okay, okay, we know you're a girl," he said. "That do? Will you come now?"

"I've already told you!" Hermione said very angrily. "I'm going with someone else!"

Then she stormed off toward the girls' dormitories again.  
"She's lying," said Ron flatly, watching her go.

"She's not," said Ginny quietly.

"Who is it then?" said Ron sharply.

"I'm not telling you, it's her business," said Ginny.

"That means she's lying." Ron said.

"She seriously isn't, she was asked right in front of me." Naruto said finally calming down and removing tears from his eyes.

"Right," said Ron, who looked extremely put out, "this is getting stupid. Ginny, you can go with Harry, and I'll just -"

"I can't," said Ginny, and she went scarlet too.  
"I'm going with - with Neville. He asked me when Hermione said no, and I thought - well - I'm not going to be able to go otherwise, I'm not in fourth year." She looked extremely miserable.  
"I think I'll go and have dinner," she said, and she got up and walked off to the portrait hole, her head bowed.

"And I think I'll join her. See you, my favourite idiots, later." Naruto said as he left after Ginny.

* * *

Snow was falling thickly upon the castle and its grounds now.

The pale blue Beauxbatons carriage looked like a large, chilly, frosted pumpkin next to the iced gingerbread house that was Hagrid's cabin, while the Durmstrang ship's portholes were glazed with ice, the rigging white with frost.

The house-elves down in the kitchen were outdoing themselves with a series of rich, warming stews and savory puddings, and only Fleur Delacour seemed to be able to find anything to complain about.

"It is too 'eavy, all zis 'Ogwarts food," they heard her saying grumpily as they left the Great Hall behind her one evening (Ron skulking behind Harry, keen not to be spotted by Fleur).  
"I will not fit into my dress robes!"

"Oooh there's a tragedy," Hermione snapped as Fleur went out into the entrance hall.  
"She really thinks a lot of herself, that one, doesn't she?"

"You need to work on your temper Hermione, it's not ok to snap at everyone you find annoying - and yes - even if we agree with you." Naruto said from behind a thick book.

Yearly I.P.C. Journal that mentioned all the new potions presented by the committee members, a book that every potions nerd, including Hermione wanted to read. He got the editions earlier than others, him being a member and all.

After the meal they were walking back to the Gryffindor tower, both Naruto and Hermione reading the same page from the book when Ron suddenly spoke.

"Hermione," said Ron, looking sideways at her, suddenly frowning,  
"Your teeth -"

"What about them?" she said not looking up from the book.

"Well, they're different - I've just noticed -"

"Of course they are - did you expect me to keep those fangs Malfoy gave me?" She said finally looking up.

Naruto closed the book just after that.

"No, I mean, they're different to how they were before he put that hex on you - They're all - straight and - and normal-sized."

Hermione suddenly smiled very mischievously, and Naruto noticed it too: It was a very different smile from the one he remembered.

"Yeah - he's right." Naruto muttered.

"Well - when I went up to Madam Pomfrey to get them shrunk, she held up a mirror and told me to stop her when they were back to how they normally were -" she said.

"- and I just - let her carry on a bit." She smiled even more widely.

"What about your parents?" Naruto asked.

"They won't be too pleased. I've been trying to persuade them to let me shrink them for ages, but they wanted me to carry on with my braces. You know, they're dentists, they just don't think teeth and magic should - look! Pigwidgeons back!"

Pigwidgeon hooted happily from the perch he was on.

"Here - take it, Harry,"

He pulled Sirius's reply off Pigwidgeons leg. Harry pocketed it, and they hurried back to Gryffindor Tower to read it.

Everyone in the common room was much too busy letting off more holiday steam to observe what anyone else was up to.  
Ron, Harry, Naruto and Hermione sat apart from everyone else by a dark window that was gradually filling up with snow, and Harry read out:

* * *

_Dear Harry,_

_Congratulations on getting past the Horntail. Whoever put your name in that Goblet shouldn't be feeling too happy right now! I was going to suggest a Conjunctivitus Curse, as a dragon's eyes are its weakest point but your way was better, I'm impressed._

_Don't get complacent, though. Harry._

_You've only done one task; whoever put you in for the tournament's got plenty more opportunity if they're trying to hurt you. Keep your eyes open - particularly when the person we discussed is around and concentrate on keeping yourself out of trouble._

_I might come to Hogsmeade, since my search for Wormtail has not served any fruit, neither did Remus's. However you don't worry, we will find them._

_Keep in touch, I still want to hear about anything unusual._

_Sirius_

* * *

_**Christmas morning** _

Naruto woke up early, not to excercise but to send owls to some of his friends outside school and when he was returning he once again saw Hagrid, coming back from treating the horses with whiskey.

"Merry Christmas Hagrid!" He said as Hagrid spotted him.

"'Erry Christmas Naruto!" Hagrid said as they both sat down on Hagrid's steps.

"Buckbeak is having fun with some other friends of mine, If you want I can give him back to you, right now."

Naruto said as he took the cup of tea that Hagrid had passed onto him with a grateful look, the cold and his sweat both freezing his fingers.

"He'll be 'lone 'ere. For 'ow you take care 'f him, Thank you Naruto for 'verything." Hagrid said.

"No worries my friend, no worries at all, see you at the Ball?" Naruto asked.

"See you at the Ball!" Hagrid said with a smile.

Naruto drank the entire tea in one go and jogged back to the castle.

After lunch the moronic trio, Naruto and the twins went to the snow covered lawn for a snowball fight,

Hermione watched as Naruto vs Twins vs Harry and Ron, which was first in the twins favour turned completely in Naruto's favour when he cheated and bewitched the snow to form into balls and hit the other four with considerable power.

His defence on the cheating was,

"I'm alone! So I get to get a little help."

The four then turned completely against him and started to fire as much as they could within the hail of snow balls coming their way.

At five o'clock Hermione said she was going back upstairs to get ready for the ball.

"What, you need three hours?" said Ron, looking at her incredulously and paying for his lapse in concentration when a large snowball hit him hard on the side of the head.

"Who're you going with?" he yelled after Hermione, but she just waved and disappeared up the stone steps into the castle.

There was no Christmas tea today, as the ball included a feast.

So, at seven o'clock, when it had become hard to aim properly, the others abandoned their snowball fight and trooped back to the common room.  
The Fat Lady was sitting in her frame with her friend Violet from downstairs, both of them extremely tipsy, empty boxes of chocolate liqueurs littering the bottom other picture.

"Lairy fights, that's the one!" she giggled when they gave the password, and she swung forward to let them inside.

They separated to get ready, Naruto chose to take a quick bath before dressing up.  
So he was not there when Ron and Harry left to meet up Padma and Parvati.

* * *

The entire entrance of the great hall was filled up with students.

As Harry was told seconds before the beginning of the Ball, that the four Champions and this year winner of the Wizarding schools Potion championship will start the Ball.

"Where is Naruto?" She asked.

Before they could reply all the Champions and there dates, minus Krum's, turned their gaze to the stairs and started in silence.

Naruto dressed in simple black three piece suit with his blazer being a little bit bigger and going down his waist in an overcoat fashion, and white shirt underneath with no tie. The things that made his appearance special were the accessories.

His golden boiling Cauldron pin, signifying him the winner pinned on his right breast pocket. A pocket watch, one he got from Flamel, hanging in his inner pocket, proudly showing the ensignia carved on it's back.

All French magical people knew this as the code of arms of the Flame Alchemist's, so that is why Fleur and the rest inside would stare at it in awe.

And his Kitsune band on his left hand.

The ladies on the either side of him were the cause of most of the staring.

Hermione dressed in a beautiful pink dress and a new hair style on his left and Delphini in a black backless silk gown, with one side cut all the way from her knees to the bottom, it was big enough to swipe the floor half an inch behind her.

The back of the gown went all the way to her tailbone but a golden snake held her dress and covered her back, she also wore a beautiful golden snake necklace, the eyes of the snake were two green gems.

Her hair were in a clean bun over her head.  
The entire crowd watched in silence as the trio descended. Krum came to his sense when he realised one of them were his date.  
He went forward, bowed his head to Hermione and she untangled her hand from Naruto's and held it out for Krum.

He kissed it and the both of them moved towards the other champions, Naruto turned to Delphini and said,

"Shall we my lady?" With a bright smile.

"Lead the way, sir." She replied with a smile, McGonagall finally turned to the pair and said.

"Uhm, Mr. Namikaze, Ms. Malfoy. Since Naruto is also a winner of a legendary Championship, he will also lead the ball with other Champions, I did tell you that didn't I?" She said to Naruto who raised his brow and said,

"No."

"Well, now you know, let's go. Everyone is waiting." She said as she proceeded to the gate.

Fleur Delacour and Roger Davies. A Ravenclaw first.

Krum and Hermione second.

Diggory and Cho Chang third.

Harry and Parvati fourth.

Finally Naruto and Delphini.

Fleur was acting like an airhead and Roger could not look away from her.

Krum with his awkward walk was not that great of an attraction, Hermione could not stop blushing from all the amazed looks she got from people she knew.

Diggory and Cho looked out of place together.

Harry was staring at Cho, thinking nobody would notice, Parvati was waving at some people she knew.

All in all the Champions didn't look much like Champions.  
All except Naruto and Delphini.

Naruto looked like a true lion with his straight body language and predatory grin, he looked like a Champion.

Delphini with her grace looked exactly like an elegant snake, her every moment dangerous but at the same time you just couldn't look away.

Pansy Parkinson who had always thought Delphini to be soft just couldn't believe the way she held herself.

Amongst the applause and shock of students the Champions made it to the dance stage.

Naruto and Delphini in the middle, the other four pairs around them in a square

Just as the music started Naruto and Delphini started dancing like they had been rehearsing this routine for ages, the crowd kept cheering.

Then Dumbledore entered with McGonagall, slowly everyone started to dance and amongst the crowd Harry and Parvati vanished.

Naruto and Delphini danced in ballroom fashion, till the point when the arrival of the weird sisters was announced, they moved out of the stage and then sat down on the nearest seats.

"If I haven't mentioned before, you look amazing." Naruto told her.

"You did, when we met at the dungeon doors." She said with a smile.

"I am sorry Naruto." She said with a sorrowful look.

"Why?"

"It's just that -" she seemed to debating over something in her mind she finally spoke,  
"- after this year, we will only meet when I will attend the O.W.L.'s. It's just that, I am sorry that I never gave our friendship any chance to become something more." She answered truthfully.

"I blame fate but I am glad for it as well," he answered with a kind smile.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Think about it, if you were around, there was a high chance that you and I might have ended up together but then I wouldn't have found Betty and you wouldn't have even gotten a chance to truly realise -"

"- I am sorry if it sounds odd but, you won't have realised that you had twice as many options as me, and love is a wide emotion, we can still love another, it just doesn't have to mean we might end up marrying, you get what I mean?" He finished in a whisper.

She waited and pondered over what he had just said and then came to a decision.

"You are right. I love you friend." She said with a true bright smile.

"Aw! I love you too friend." He said as he engulfed her into a hug, it was to this scene that Krum and Hermione walked into.

"Uhm..Would you like to join us for drinks?" Krum asked,

"I would love to." Naruto answered.

"So would I but for now I have to return to bed, I have to get up early tomorrow." Delphini said,  
"If you'll excuse me, I am sorry Naruto,"

"It's alright, This was after all a platonic date. Good night Delphini, I hope you had a pleasant night." Naruto said.

"Oh! It was magical." She replied with a smile and excused herself.

"How about I help you get some drinks while Hermione can invite the rest of our friends." Naruto said turning to Krum.

"That's a fine idea." Krum said and Hermione nodded and excused herself as well.

The two guys walked up to the drinks stand and asked for drinks.  
They were both handed there drinks, and as they stood there waiting for the rest of them to show up.

"That band, are you truly a member of 'The People of the Forest'?" Krum asked.

"Yes, I was named after the Battle of Crimson Island because I prioritised saving magical creatures as much as I would another human being. 'The People' considered me worthy and here I am." Naruto answered as he took a sip of his butterbeer.

"It's extremely difficult to be one of them, you must be proud." Krum said as he took a sip of his drink.

"Beyond your wildest imagination, and if I know my best friend enough, we should really join her now."  
Naruto said with a smile as they were joined by a fuming Hermione who took the drink from Krum's hand, she took a deep breath and then composed herself.

"Everything alright there Hermione?" Naruto asked. She gave a smile and said.

"Never better." Krum smiled at this.

"Well I'll let you two go on and wander the hall, excuse me."  
Naruto said as he nodded and smiled at them and left, he walked up to Dumbledore who was enjoying a pork chop by himself.

"I didn't know you could dance so well?"  
Naruto said as he sat down on the table with Dumbledore, who just smiled and said.

"I am a man of many talents, some that I still discover at this age. Dancing just happened to be one of the new ones." Dumbledore said.

"I don't doubt it." Naruto said with a smile and kept on smiling.

Dumbledore smiled and then seeing his smile added,

"Something more?"

"It's just that I never thought, the man that I wanted to be like, the man I admired most second only to my father, would one day be my teacher and If I dare say trust me as much as he trusts his friends." Naruto said, Dumbledore beamed at this. He replied by saying.

"I might not be as good as Madame Xanadu but I can tell you one thing, a day will come when a brilliant student would be saying the exact same thing to you."

"I hope so, that is if I survive the entire Three B's stuff." Naruto said truthfully.

"Maybe surviving that might just be the reason for you to live this moment in my perspective." Dumbledore said with a smile as he took a bite out of his food.

Naruto could only chuckle at this as he soon excused himself to let the man eat in privacy.

He mingled with a lot of his other friends, answered a lot of questions involving the watch to the French girls and by the time he was done very few people were left in the Hall.  
All slow dancing to soft music arranged by the self playing band.

After escaping the crowd of people Naruto walked out of the hall to see one of the scenes he hated most, his best friend crying.

Hermione spotted him and tried to stand up to hug or something but Naruto was quick and he ran to her side instantly, She clenched his hand tightly with both her hands and leaned on his shoulder to cry.

Naruto leaned his head on hers and gently started to stroke her cheek with his other hand.  
They sat like this for at least 15 minutes when Hermione finally stopped crying and her sobs turned into sniffs.

Now he finally said something,

"What happened kid? Did Krum did anything? You want me to burn his stupid teenage beard off, I'll burn his face off but that would land me in Azkaban -"

No reply from Hermione.

"- that bad! Let me go I'll kill that bastard!" Naruto said comically, she released a giggle and told him.

"It wasn't Viktor, it was Ron." She said between sniffs.

"You know, I always knew I'd have to remove a Weasley to get into that family, I always thought it would be Percy but hey! Ron will do." Naruto said.

She pinched his hand gently as she giggled more, he chuckled with her then turned seriously to her.

"What happened Hermione?"

She then told him about the conversations she had with Ron and Harry when he was fetching drinks.

After she was done telling him the story he turned to her and said.

"I think you know why he acted like that, I think you know why you felt bad when he chose appearance over personality. So there is nothing I can actually do for you but take you back up to the dorms." He said.

"I know, but this feels good." She said as she moved closer to feel his warmth.

Naruto wiggled out of her hold much to her dismay and then took off his jacket and wrapped it around her, she smiled and leaned in again, now both of her hands clenching the jacket and he wrapped one of hands around her.

They both leaned in, head against head.  
They sat there is silence for quite some time, with all the feelings in the air his thoughts turned to Betty, he wrote to her constantly, last time she wrote back she told him that they had found her sister and there were some complications she couldn't discuss over a letter.

She did tell him that she would be returning on the first train back.  
He told her everything that had happened here. Apart from the kiss.

He would tell her about it and the reason behind it for both the parties but not over a letter.  
He was thinking about Betty so long that he forgot about Hermione who had fallen asleep by his side.  
He chuckled and without a world lifted her into a princess carry as if she was weightless.  
He asked from a couple nearby for one of them to pick Hermione's heels and hand it to him.

The girl did with a smile and he gently, without waking her up, carried her all the way to the Gryffindor common room.  
There he woke Lavender, who was sleeping leaning against Parvati, up.

Obviously after they had fallen asleep after chatting about their nights.

"Lav - Lav wake up - Lav!"  
She finally stirred awake and took some time to gather where she was, when her bearings came to her, he said.

"Wake up Parvati - both of you go sleep in your bed, come on."

Lavender nodded with half a smile and shook Parvati awake.

"Come on." Naruto told both of them, before they could even get up and leave Professor McGonagall showed up.

Obviously to wake Lavender and Parvati up, just like she had done once for him.  
She raised her brow at Naruto standing there with Hermione in his arms, trying to wake Lavender and Parvati up.  
She didn't comment but just said.

"Put Ms. Granger on the sofa. I will take it from here. Good night Mr. Namikaze."  
He did as he was told and waved to Parvati and Lavender who waved back at him and went up to his dormitory.


	57. Book 4 Chapter 14: My Love

Naruto woke up with a headache the next day, he went down to the common room last.

Many smiled and greeted him as he walked past them.  
He was nursing his head and leaving the common room when his suit jacket from last night was suddenly thrusted on to his face. Clearly laundered.

"I requested some Elves for a rush job, I didn't even speak about S.P.E.W. and I also cleaned your badge." Hermione said as she was holding it high to his face.

"You didn't need to." He said taking everything back.

"I wanted to, Lavender told me as soon as we woke up that you carried me all the way up here." She said as she smiled at him.

"Yeah, you are practically weightless, considering - nothing. Just, it was no problem, I am your best friend for a reason."

"Yes you are. Thank you." She kissed him on the cheek and let him continue on his path.

The rest of the Holiday's went quite peacefully.  
Betty returned a day before term begins and told them everything that happened with her family.  
He told her about everything that happened in school, as they were both sat by the trees. At last, he finally told her about the kiss.

"WHAT?! YOU KISSED HER! WHY?" Betty screamed.

She was instantly enraged but stayed back, knowing full well that he might have had a good reason behind it.

"It was 'The Kiss At Death'. That's why I planted the idea in her mind for the kiss."

"Wait a moment, you planted the idea? For a Kiss at Death? What is Kiss at Death?"

"When we were talking, she told me about her sexuality, made me promise that I wouldn't tell anyone - that was another time she asked for a promise from me, I was confused so I hugged her and in doing so read her mind. She was a strong Occlumens but not strong enough. I saw things and realised some other things. "

"The conclusion, with so many promises she was casting a enslavement spell on me -"  
"WHAT?!"  
"- but I was able to plant an idea for a kiss in her mind.

The Kiss at Death, only she didn't know what it was. It is a very ancient Wizarding practice, during the witch trials, the people who shared similar views to Salazar Slytherin about muggle-borns being untrustworthy created this particular magic. In it one would want to initiate a kiss but other would hold the power to actually complete it, so the person with power the holder would think of the conditions and if the initiator agrees with a vocal confirmation the magic is complete."

"Alright but what is the magic about?"

"At the moment of effect, the two parties are dead to each other. The reason of creation was so, that neither party could not ever kill each other, could hurt each other, but never kill. Side effect of this is that all deals and promises previously done between the two parties become null and void."

"So you stopped the enslavement and her choice to ever kill you with that kiss?"

"Yes."

"What did you see, the things what were they?"

"That I cannot tell you."

"Why?!"

"Those are my burdens."

"So you want me to do what? Just follow the instructions given by my big bad famous and powerful Boyfriend without question?"

"What?! No! That's not what I meant!"

"No but that's what you implied, I know you say you tell me everything, but that isn't true is it? There are still things you are hiding. I know because everyone does that to me! They keep secrets from me!"

"Betty! I don't keep secrets! I am not telling you only because it might hurt you! And what is this really about?"

She then broke down into tears and told him everything, about how her sister ran away to meet back up with her ex-boyfriend and how they had actually never stopped talking, how sometimes he sneaked to London and sometimes she sneaked back to America. Then Betty finally told the reason as to why her sister stayed behind this time.

"She got pregnant! They didn't tell me this, till hours before I was supposed to board the train. My sister, whom I thought told me everything! Whom I told everything, like about us. She kept such a big secret from me! I don't trust anything, anyone, anymore."

They sat there is silence. Until Naruto spoke again.

"Then now might not be the time to tell you - but I cannot wait -"

"What is -*sniff*- it?"

"I love you."

There was silence. Naruto was staring at Betty who had turned her head to look into his eyes, her own eyes wide.

"I get it if you don't want to say it -"

"I love you Naruto."

Now it was Naruto's turn to be stunned. They just sat there until Betty decided to jump on Naruto.

Within moments Naruto was with his back completely against the tree which till now, he was casually leaning on and Betty was on his lap, kissing him with both of her hands playing with his hair. Naruto's hands were on her waist and pulling her closer. Even though there was absolutely no space left between their bodies.  
It was to this scene that Ginny and Hermione walked in.

"Oh my God!"  
Ginny instantly covered her eyes and face as it had gone as red as her hair. While Hermione, a little more composer but still red all over her face, said.

"Lunchtime is over, so stop!"

Betty and Naruto separated on this, with bright smiles on their faces. They couldn't look away from each other, the two girls hoped that they would separate but they started kissing once again.

"Oye!" Ginny said as she reached for Betty and pulled her away from Naruto.  
While Hermione put both her hands on Naruto to keep him from moving. Ginny and Betty may have only moved a few feet when Naruto screamed behind her.

"I LOVE YOU ELIZABETH COOPER!"

Hermione and Ginny, both went into shock as Betty turned and mouthed a clear 'I love you too Naruto Namikaze.' ,then held Ginny and ran away.

"Hey Hermione, didn't see you there." Naruto said, finally noticing Hermione there. He still wasn't looking at her.

"Did both of you just confess your love for each other?" Hermione said, still blushing.

"How did you know?" 

"YOU JUST SAID IT OUT LOUD, YOU IDIOT!"

"I thought I dreamt that - Blimey! Look at the time, why didn't you tell me lunch is over -" He said as he looked at the time on his Kimoyo Beads.

Hermione turned around and literally started to run away.

"- why are you running? Hey wait for me!"

* * *

The next few days were most magical in Naruto's life, his left hand was red from all the pinching that he got from Betty when he randomly cornered her and initiated a kiss, she never had a problem until they were spotted.

The entire school had heard rumours that they had reached the L-bomb stage and a lot of them weren't that surprised.  
On the other side, Naruto kept writing a lot of letters to people through out the world, which his friend raised a lot of questions about but he shrugged them off. Telling Betty, all in good time and then starting kissing her.

One morning, after his morning routine, and stealing breakfast directly from the kitchen Naruto reached his destination, the Owlery, quite peacefully just before Study of Magical Creatures class.

There a black school owl was waiting with his daily mail. He took it and pocketed it. His eyes fell on the Daily Prophet owl with papers on a holder on it's back. He took a paper and deposited a knut in a pouch on it's belly.  
Why he suddenly showed such interest on the garbage paper? Because of the headline.

* * *

**DUMBLEDORE'S GIANT MISTAKE**

_Albus Dumbledore, eccentric Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, has never been afraid to make controversial staff appointments, writes Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent. In September of this year, he hired Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, the notoriously jinx-happy ex-Auror, to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts, a decision that caused many raised eyebrows at the Ministry of Magic, given Moody's well-known habit of attacking anybody who makes a sudden movement in his presence. Mad-Eye Moody, however, looks responsible and kindly when set beside the part-human Dumbledore employs to teach Care of Magical Creatures._

_Rubeus Hagrid, who admits to being expelled from Hogwarts in his third year, has enjoyed the position of gamekeeper at the school ever since, a job secured for him by Dumbledore. Last year, however, Hagrid used his mysterious influence over the headmaster to secure the additional post of Care of Magical Creatures teacher, over the heads of many better-qualified candidates._

_An alarmingly large and ferocious-looking man, Hagrid has been using his newfound authority to terrify the students in his care with a succession of horrific creatures. While Dumbledore turns a blind eye, Hagrid has maimed several pupils during a series of lessons that many admit to being "very frightening."_

_'I was attacked by a hippogriff, and my friend Vincent Crabbe got a bad bite off a flobberworm," says Draco Malfoy, a fourth-year student. "We all hate Hagrid, but we're just too scared to say anything."_

_Hagrid has no intention of ceasing his campaign of intimidation, however. In conversation with a Daily Prophet reporter last month, he admitted breeding creatures he has dubbed "Blast-Ended Skrewts," highly dangerous crosses between manti-cores and fire-crabs. The creation of new breeds of magical creature is, of course, an activity usually closely observed by the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Hagrid, however, considers himself to be above such petty restrictions._

_"I was just having some fun," he says, before hastily changing the subject._

_As if this were not enough, the Daily Prophet has now unearthed evidence that Hagrid is not - as he has always pretended - a pure-blood wizard. He is not, in fact, even pure human. His mother, we can exclusively reveal, is none other than the giantess Fridwulfa, whose whereabouts are currently unknown._

_Bloodthirsty and brutal, the giants brought themselves to the point of extinction by warring amongst themselves during the last century. The handful that remained joined the ranks of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and were responsible for some of the worst mass Muggle killings of his reign of terror._

_While many of the giants who served He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named were killed by Aurors working against the Dark Side, Fridwulfa was not among them. It is possible she escaped to one of the giant communities still existing in foreign mountain ranges. If his antics during Care of Magical Creatures lessons are any guide, however, Fridwulfa's son appears to have inherited her brutal nature._

_In a bizarre twist, Hagrid is reputed to have developed a close friendship with the boy who brought around You-Know-Who's fall from power - thereby driving Hagrid's own mother, like the rest of You-Know-Who's supporters, into hiding. Perhaps Harry Potter is unaware of the unpleasant truth about his large friend - but Albus Dumbledore surely has a duty to ensure that Harry Potter, along with his fellow students, is warned about the dangers of associating with part-giants._

* * *

"I am going to kill this woman, but first Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle need some punishment."  
He said as stormed off. He was the last to reach the class where a woman was showing a baby unicorn to the girls while the boys were reading the paper. The three he needed to teach a lesson snickering besides them.

"Look he is finally -" Malfoy was saying but before he could complete his sentence he fell face first into the ground on his own, Crabbe and Goyle turned into pigs beside him. Naruto didn't stop, just as Draco was on his knees, He put a wand directly between Draco's eyes.

"One spell and I can give you nightmares that will never stop, one spell and you will stop speaking, go mad. Believe me, I can do it. But -" He waved his wand and Crabbe and Goyle turned back to humans. Covered in dirt, lying on the ground but humans.

"I am not cruel and to be honest, you are not even a pest, you are just a dirt lying in my way, you don't matter to me, but you do to someone else, so just for them, I am giving you one last chance to back of and check yourself, next time I will bring down hell on you." Naruto didn't even wait for an answer, he turned back around and started to leave.

"Hey! Where are you going? Unicorns are hard to find, this might be your only chance." The substitute said.

Naruto turned around and whistled in a peculiar tune, nobody got what it was for until about 50 unicorn of all types of color, shape and size walked out of the forbidden forest.

They watched in amazement as the biggest and strongest looking white Unicorn came towards Naruto and nudged him to pat him. Naruto did so, and took out a small wooden box from his bag and threw it by his feet, it enlarged into a 6x6 big and 3 feet high box.

It opened to show it was filled with golden carrots; all the unicorns, even the small one that was being used to teach the class, ran towards the crate and started munching on the carrots. Neighing in delight.

"Professor Hagrid taught me that."  
With a final pat on the unicorn that had come towards him, he started to leave. All of them in shock but before he was out of their earshot he turned back and said,

"The baby is called Caramiel -" The baby unicorn they were studying on lifted her head as soon as she heard 'Caramiel', she's Marshmello's daughter."

One of the white unicorn amongst the unicorns lifted it's head at that and then they both returned to munching. None could move, either in shock, awe or in Draco, Crabbe and Goyle's case, fear.

He strolled to Hagrid's hut, "I know you are in there, and I get it if you don't want to open this door, but Hagrid I am telling you this not as a student but as a friend. Open this damn door and talk to me before I blast it off its hinges -" He was joined by Hermione, Ron and Harry all of them had to sprint here, after Naruto.

"Us!" Hermione added between pants.

"Talk to us, Hagrid!" Hermione said, pounding on his front door.  
"Hagrid, that's enough! We know you're in there! Nobody cares if your mum was a giantess, Hagrid! You can't let that foul Skeeter woman do this to you! Hagrid, get out here, you're just being -"

The door opened. Naruto exclaimed, "About damn t-!" and then stopped very suddenly, because he had found himself face-to-face, not with Hagrid, but with Albus Dumbledore.

"Good afternoon," he said pleasantly, smiling down at them.

"We-er-we wanted to see Hagrid," said Hermione in a rather small voice.

"Yes, I surmised as much," said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling. "Why don't you come in?"

"Oh - um - okay." said Hermione.

She, Naruto, Ron, and Harry went into the cabin, Fang launched himself towards Naruto the moment he entered, barking madly and trying to lick his face.  
Naruto pushed somewhere under Fangs neck and he moaned pleasurably and fell down where he stood.

Hagrid was sitting at his table, where there were two large mugs of tea.  
He looked a real mess. His face was blotchy, his eyes swollen and he had gone to the other extreme where his hair was concerned; far from trying to make it behave, it now looked like a wig of tangled wire.

"Hi, Hagrid." said Harry.

Hagrid looked up.

"'Lo," he said in a very hoarse voice.

"More tea, I think," said Dumbledore, closing the door behind Naruto, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, drawing out his wand, and twiddling it;

A revolving tea tray appeared in midair along with a plate of cakes. Dumbledore magicked the tray onto the table, and everybody but Naruto sat down.  
There was a slight pause, and then Dumbledore said, "Did you by any chance hear what Mr. Namikaze and Miss Granger were shouting about, Hagrid?"

Hermione went slightly pink. Naruto, who was leaning on the wall, looked away in embarrassment but Dumbledore smiled at them and continued.

"Naruto, Hermione, Harry, and Ron still seem to want to know you, judging by the way they were attempting to break down the door."

"Of course we still want to know you!" Harry said, staring at Hagrid.  
"You don't think anything that Skeeter cow - sorry, Professor," he added quickly, looking at Dumbledore.

"I have gone temporarily deaf and haven't any idea what you said Harry," said Dumbledore, twiddling his thumbs and staring at the ceiling.

"Er-right," said Harry sheepishly.  
"I just meant- Hagrid, how could you think we'd care what that woman wrote about you?"

Two fat tears leaked out of Hagrid's beetle-black eyes and fell slowly into his tangled beard.

"Living proof of what I've been telling you, Hagrid," said Dumbledore, still looking carefully up at the ceiling.  
"I have shown you the letters from the countless parents who remember you from their own days here, telling me, in no uncertain terms, that if I sacked you, they would have something to say about it -"

"Not all of 'em," said Hagrid hoarsely.

"Not all of 'em wan me ter stay."

"Really, Hagrid, if you are holding out for universal popularity, I'm afraid you will be in this cabin for a very long time," said Dumbledore, now peering sternly over his half-moon spectacles.  
"Not a week has passed since I became headmaster of this school when I haven't had at least one owl complaining about the way I run it. But what should I do? Barricade myself in my study and refuse to talk to anybody?"

"Yeh - yeh're not half-giant!" said Hagrid croakily.

"Relatives only motivate you, they do not define who you could be." Naruto whispered. However everyone heard him.

"An excellent point," said Professor Dumbledore.  
"My own brother, Aberforth, was prosecuted for practicing inappropriate charms on a goat. It was all over the papers, but did Aberforth hide? No, he did not! He held his head high and went about his business as usual! Of course, I'm not entirely sure he can read, so that may not have been bravery -"

"Come back and teach, Hagrid," said Hermione quietly, "please come back, we really miss you."

Hagrid gulped. More tears leaked out down his cheeks and into his tangled beard.

Dumbledore stood up.  
"I refuse to accept your resignation, Hagrid, and I expect you back at work on Monday," he said.  
"You will join me for breakfast at eight- thirty in the Great Hall. No excuses. Good afternoon to you all."

Dumbledore left the cabin, pausing only to scratch Fangs ears. When the door had shut behind him, Hagrid began to sob into his dustbin-lid-sized hands. Hermione kept patting his arm, and at last, Hagrid looked up, his eyes very red indeed, and said, "Great man, Dumbledore - great man -"

"Yeah, he is," said Ron.  
"Can I have one of these cakes, Hagrid?"

"Help yerself," said Hagrid, wiping his eyes on the back of his hand.  
"Ar, he's righ', o' course - yeh're all righ' - I bin stupid - my ol' dad woulda bin ashamed o' the way I've bin behavin' - "  
More tears leaked out, but he wiped them away more forcefully, and said,

"Never shown you a picture of my old dad, have I? Here -"

Hagrid got up, went over to his dresser, opened a drawer, and pulled out a picture of a short wizard with Hagrid's crinkled black eyes, beaming as he sat on top of Hagrid's shoulder.

Hagrid was a good seven or eight feet tall, judging by the apple tree beside him, but his face was beardless, young, round, and smooth - he looked hardly older than eleven.

"Tha was taken jus' after I got inter Hogwarts," Hagrid croaked.  
"Dad was dead chuffed - thought I migh' not be a wizard, see, 'cos me mum - well, anyway. 'Course, I never was great shakes at magic, really - but at least he never saw me expelled. Died, see, in me second year -"

"Dumbledore was the one who stuck up for me after Dad went. Got me the gamekeeper job - trusts people, he does. Gives 'em second chances - tha's what sets him apar' from other heads, see. "

"He'll accept anyone at Hogwarts, s'long as they've got the talent. Knows people can turn out okay even if their families weren' - well - all tha' respectable. But some don understand that. "

"There's some who'd always hold it against yeh - there's some who'd even pretend they just had big bones rather than stand up an' say - I am what I am, an' I'm not ashamed. 'Never be ashamed,' my ol' dad used ter say, 'there's some who'll hold it against you, but they're not worth botherin' with.' -"  
"An' he was right. I've bin an idiot. I'm not botherin' with her no more, I promise yeh that. Big bones - I'll give her big bones."

"Yeh know wha, Harry?" he said, looking up from the photograph of his father, his eyes very bright,  
"When I firs' met you, you reminded me o' me a bit. Mum an' Dad gone, an' you was feelin' like yeh wouldn' fit in at Hogwarts, remember? Not sure yeh were really up to it - an' now look at yeh, Harry! School Champion!"

He looked at Harry for a moment and then said, very seriously,  
"Yeh know what I'd love. Harry? I'd love yeh ter win, I really would. It'd show 'em all - yeh don' have ter be pureblood ter do it. Yeh don have ter be ashamed of what yeh are. "

"It'd show 'em Dumbledore's the one who's got it righ', lettin' anyone in as long as they can do magic. How you doin' with that egg, Harry?"

"Great," said Harry. "Really great."

Naruto raised his eyebrow at that and then just smiled buying into, what he would later learn to be, a lie.

Hagrid's miserable face broke into a wide, watery smile.

"Tha's my boy - you show 'em, Harry, you show 'em. Beat 'em all."

The other three went back to the common room, while Naruto stayed behind to help Hagrid sort the 'dangerous' creatures that others couldn't face, since Naruto had no problem with it.

* * *

During next Hogsmeade visit Naruto was accompanying Betty, Ginny and Luna.

It was supposed to be a date or more like Naruto snogging Betty for the entire day while eating and drinking in between, but Ginny and Luna had told him off saying something along the lines of 'their friend first, his girlfriend later.'  
Much to Naruto's vocal disappointment and silent approval.

So here he was acting as a heater to Ginny, yes Ginny, while Betty helped Luna with some 'stuff', one of her 'different' theories inside the Dervish and Banges (a shop that sells and repairs magical instruments) as they waited for something to get fixed for the trio for their next class.

"You are so warm -" Ginny moaned in delight as she was hugging Naruto, who was hugging her back with one hand around her as they sat outside the shop, filled with third years all doing the same thing.

"Are all of you a bunch of idiots? Breaking your instruments in the middle of the year?" He said ignoring her comment on his body heat.

"Professor Sinistra accidentally spoke the wrong measurement before he could correct himself, all of us in hurry followed his instruction without a thought and damaged our instruments. He told us to get it fixed, today was the only time so here we are."

"What the hell were you all in such a hurry about, in the night?"

Before Ginny could answer a Goblin walked up to them.

"Naruto, such a pleasure to run into you!" He said.

"Oh Gruckle! My pal, it's been long! How's wage these days?" Naruto answered but Ginny felt him tighten his hold on her, protectively.

"It's been booming of course! I was just wondering if you have seen Ludo, Ludo Bagman - you know about the affair after the Quidditch World Cup?"

"Yeah, I do and I think I saw him entering Three Broomsticks not even five minutes ago." Naruto answered with a stained smile.

"Thank you - Thank you -See you around!"  
With that the Goblin left, they both saw him being joined by a bunch of other Goblins, all of them heading towards Three Broomsticks.

Naruto didn't lessen his hold till all of them disappeared into the crowd.

"That didn't seem like a way to act when greeted by a 'pal'." Ginny said as she massaged her shoulder, her thoughts, 'damn, he is too strong.'

"Oh don't worry, I am not in any funny business, it's just that, and remember this one, Goblins are friends to no one but the money."

"I don't trust those bastards a bit and he might have smiled at me but he hates me, after he lost a perfect bet to me, almost 50 Galleons that is." Naruto answered.

"50 galleons? So that is why you know them? And what about the 'funny' business' with Ludo Bagman?"

"Oh that, don't tell anyone but the poor bastard is in deep debt, lost a lot of money in the Quidditch World Cup, especially to Goblins, the thing I regret is not knowing this before I let Fred and George bet. Of course, I paid them back." He told her.

They fell in silence.

Luna and Betty finally joined them and the four of them headed back to the castle where Naruto and Betty ended up snogging in the Common room for the rest of the day.

Around the end of the day when Betty had kissing Naruto, who was lying on the couch with his head in her lap, reading a book, with Betty and Ginny reading their own book.  
It was to this scene that Harry, Ron and Hermione showed up.

Hermione pushed Naruto's legs off of the couch and sat down ignoring Naruto protest filled 'hey!' and sat down next to him.  
She didn't speak but she was positively fuming as Harry and Ron went up to the Dormitory. Naruto having noticed her face asked.

"Krum? Ron? Harry? Somebody else? Something else? (pointing to her S.P.E.W.)"

"Someone else! That Skeeter woman! I hate her! I just hoped there was something I could have over her!"

"Slow down Hermione, Tell me what happened?" He asked her.

She told him about everything that happened during the Hogsmeade visit today.

Krum swimming, to which Naruto gave a nod of approval, which didn't go unnoticed by anyone but they kept it for later.

Then the three running into Ludo and some Goblins, at which Naruto shared a look with Ginny and finally how she had an argument with Rita and how she said that she was holding back on Harry and Hermione and how, now she will write everything that she could get her hands on.

Naruto thought for a moment and then turned to Hermione.

"Ok, now." He said as he took Hermione's shoulder in his hands,

"Take a deep breath." She did.

"- and think, How can someone sneak into the castle without you noticing?"

"I don't know!"  
"Sh! Think! You do, If you open your mind and think about the last person who snuck into the grounds without anyone noticing."  
"It was Sirius but he was an - Oh My God! Are you sure?!" Hermione's voice was now filled with excitement.

"Not completely but I believe she is, it's just that I don't have any proof to be sure." He answered.

"No! It's possible, I just need to find what she turns into, I think she might be! Oh thank you Naruto." She said as she hugged him and got up to leave but before she even took two steps and before Naruto could return to his comfortable position and lovely pillow, she turned back.

"What about Viktor and Mr. Bagman?"

"What about them?"

"Why did you nod at Viktor swimming in cold water? And why did you and Ginny share a look at the mention of Goblin meeting Mr. Bagman?"

Naruto released a groan and told her that second clue was in Mermish and about Bagman's debt from the games.

"Why didn't you tell Harry that second clue is in Mermish?" She asked clearly not very surprised by Ludo's debt.

"Well, I was going to but then the whole thing with Betts got my mind off of it."

"I was going to tell him afterwards but then Hagrid's thing happened. There he said, he had the egg figured out. And really the only thing I could tell him was that it was Mermish. Rest, he had to figure out." Naruto answered truthfully.

"Well he lied, he didn't have a clue as to what the egg meant but now he got this idea from Cedric about opening the egg during bath, so the entire thing was redundant." Hermione said, at this Naruto got up with a jolt.

"That moron hasn't figured the egg out?! The task is in two days! What is wrong with the both of them? They never ask for my help! Why?" Naruto said as he rubbed his face with his hands in anger.

The others didn't say anything instantly but Hermione spoke in a whisper.

"You never ask for help either, do you?"

"What?" Naruto muttered.

"Well yeah, leave your first year, but in your second year you did not tell anyone you could do Alchemy, you never said anything ever about the briefcase -"

"- You never concerned anyone about the fact that the man, that would kidnap you at the end of the year gave strong magic, that as you later told me, actually scared you."

"You worry, we all always knew that, but you only worry about what should concern all of us, you wake up 3 hours earlier than everyone and spend it running and climbing around the forbidden forest everyday and always just play it off as nothing major -"

"- You let your insecurities and fear eat you from the inside, while you give yourself away to help those that never asked for it, you do it because they need it, you say you can control your emotions?"

"Whenever one of us are involved, you just lose it, without considering the consequences that you will face, you bury yourself in books and journals, practise magic till you drop and get up to do it all over again, never asking for help, never asking for advice."

"In the second year when You-know-who made Ginny open the Chamber of Secrets you said why didn't Ginny and me or Hermione, Harry and Ron didn't ask for your help?"

"Did you? Did you ask from anyone of us to help you study Salazar Slytherin? No, right? And the Quidditch match against Slytherin, a team sport as I understand, but you pushed your body to a point where it might actually break."

"Madam Pomfrey said out loud that day that you were far more injured compared to Harry but you asked not to make any fuss about it. You didn't want to worry the other chasers, right?"

"Then the Dueling club, the fight that you and Delphini had, Professor Flitwich told us, after he had heard us dictate it moment by moment to each other, he said that if what we were saying was how it exactly happened then you and Delphini were going to be the best wizards in the world -"

"- but you made people forget the duel, saying it was all redundant just to try to squash the fact that Harry spoke parselmouth as much as you could, didn't you?"

"I gave you a bunch of novels about what I believed real love to be, on Christmas thinking you might get my meaning. I didn't know about Irene but even then you actually never enjoyed them did you?"

"Too concerned that there were more attacks? Too concerned about people living in fear? Isn't that why you bewitched those snow monsters so that everyone would have a little happiness -"

"- and how much time did it take to make that antidote to Polyjuice potion? I think 3 weeks right? And what made you stop trusting teachers when I came to ask for help, for Ginny? The fact that they couldn't do anything even though you handed them the identity of the monster in a silver platter? And then the Chamber."

"Nobody should know really who fought Voldemort's memory? Nobody should know how a great snake lost to a second year student with just a sword? Or Who really tried saving my best friend, me and her older brother from unimaginable pain? You never asked for help or recognition, and then the Battle of Crimson Island -"

Naruto, who was silent as Betty spilled his life like others viewed it, with Ginny and Hermione nodding, sniffing and even held his hands to help him, could only remain silent till now but at the mention of Crimson Island he said.

"I asked for help there."

"Oh I know you did, you asked for Kurama and Amaterasu's help a little too late in my mind, you really set your affairs in order?! You fought and lived in pain for more than 24 hours? And you let Irene go -" Betty muttered the Irene part.

"It was the -" Naruto tried saying but Betty interrupted.

"Right thing? I know! Dumbledore said repeatedly!" She dropped the bomb.

"Dumbledore?" Hermione was the one that asked.

"Yes! He had heard that I was dating you, he asked me to visit him in his office, thinking you didn't already tell me about what happened on Crimson island -"

"- He told me you might just be amongst the handful of people throughout time to do the right thing for the greater good even if it meant you had to sacrifice everything!"

"That made you strong, his words 'definitely stronger than everybody else in this castle.' But that also made you damaged, because you sacrificed a little of yourself every time you woke up and walked into the world, so you didn't need anything but love or you'll fall apart! and you want to know something funny?"

"Everybody knew this! But you faked happiness so excellently that we all thought it was just our imagination, you don't have any idea what it feels like to find out from your boyfriend's partner that he has stopped crying every night! Because of you! It is confusing!"

"Not being able to decide between joy on knowing that your presence made such a difference or to cry yourself, never realising just how broken the person you love had been that your mere presence changes them! You have no -idea - so, you don't get to ever say why people don't come to you for help, until you start doing that yourself!"

Betty had tears streaming down her face by now and she wasn't alone.  
Hermione and Ginny could also only shed tears with wide eyes, Hermione thinking, 'I never knew he cried?'

While Ginny's thought went to the fact that she had never met someone like Naruto.

He was good looking and good natured like Bill, he loved different things like Charlie, he was studious and ambitious like Percy, he loved happiness like Fred and George, he shared like Ron, but he loved and fought like none other.

Naruto on the other hand just sat there dumbstruck, somewhere in the back of his mind he could hear Kurama's voice apologising for telling Betty that.

While he also heard some of his other creatures make sounds at Kurama for many things but it didn't register as fully as it normally would.

"I never knew loving me was this difficult. You don't need to -"

**SMACK!**

He was slapped right across his left cheek, so hard that his face turned to the right.

Hermione and Ginny could only gasp at this, they had only just covered their mouths with their hands at this, when Betty grabbed his collar and started to shake him violently.

"Don't need to what? WHAT?!" Betty shouted. She knew the answer, even Hermione and Ginny did.  
Naruto was silent, so were Kurama and the others, normally as soon as Naruto registered this much pain, (not from the slap but the words might have just shredded his heart) the battle was to keep them from stop appearing, but it seemed like even they did not have the power over this scenario.  
Kurama tried to stop him from saying what he was going to say next but it didn't register.

"Love me."

There had never been so many gasps at the same time, even the portraits of the common room.  
That they were still apparently in and they were listening gasped. Betty's grip on his collar loosened.

She was the only one that wasn't surprised by him saying it, that surprised others more than the fact that Naruto had the guts to say it.  
The silence that fell after this was something that Snape and McGonagall would be proud.

"Will you stop loving me if I did?"  
Betty asked, her voice the most serious they had ever heard. No more tears.

"Never." Naruto said, his mind was no longer doing the talking, it had gone numb the moment he had told Betty to stop loving him. His heart was in control now.

"Will you risk everything to save me but when the fate of the world is in your hands, sacrifice even me?" The others might have reacted at her monotone but to Betty and Naruto.

The only thing visible was each others eyes and only thing audible was each other.

"Yes."

"Then how could someone so, true, brave and smart ask something as stupid as asking me to stop loving them?"

"I survived Irene because of you, I don't think anything could help me survive losing you, I get so happy seeing you happy, I didn't even realise that I was hurting you, the realisation started an impulse, to get you as away from me as possible to keep you safe."

"I love you Naruto Namikaze and if you ever again suggest something like this again I won't slap you, I will kill you."

"I love you too Elizabeth Cooper."

They haven't touched each other after, Betty had let go of his collar, and somehow Naruto couldn't move.

Betty's bright blue eyes fading to show her entire tear stained face. But her smile, that smile.  
He made a vow to himself, he is living for that smile.

She grabbed his head kissed his forehead and then cuddled into his chest, Naruto wrapped his hands around her and didn't realise when he leaned back and fell asleep.

With Betty next to him.

Not realising when Hermione took Ginny away.  
When even the portraits decided that separating the young lovers would be a sin of highest order and didn't move to tell McGonagall that two students were cuddling on the common room couch.

They had not known that they had just promoted the lovers bliss, for they would both sleep like they had never slept before. In each others warmth.

* * *

Betty woke up from the most beautiful sleep she had ever had. She didn't remember going to bed last night.

Then she remembered last night and realised that she had slept next to Naruto (smile at this) but then she realised they slept in the damn common room. So she woke up with a jolt to find herself not in a common room but inside a different room or Library from the looks of it as books in so many languages completely covering three walls of the room.

The room had one bed and one couch. A night stand with a couple of leather bound books on it.  
She got up to see she was still in her uniform shirt and skirt but no leggings or shoes.

She got up and stepped outside the room to find herself in a forest, so many different types of trees in the surrounding that she knew that she wasn't dreaming.

She might be, considering some trees had snow around them whereas right next to it was raining.  
The only reason she knew it wasn't a dream was because she couldn't even imagine many types of species in the area.

She suddenly jumped when a dozen or so vivid sapphire blue insects, having long, curved stingers at the bottom of their bodies, flying incredibly fast and zooming around her, then they vanished into the trees. She heard some noise from the side where the insects had flown and she made her way there barefoot.

The snow as she thought was real, as she finally walked out the trees she saw a majestic lake.  
It's sky was parted into two, one side dark and one side light. She also saw that the lake itself was divided into two perpendicularly to the sky, one side cold from the ice that was floating one it and one side hot.

"Oh Man! Nobody would believe this dream."

"You aren't dreaming." She instantly turned around at the female voice that had spoken, to see a mermaid with beautiful black hair, smooth skin wearing absolutely nothing to hide her breast.  
Her bluish green fin inside a bubble of water as she was floating a few feet behind Betty.

"Um? Hi?" Betty couldn't really believe what she was seeing.

"Hello, you must be Betty, Naruto's girlfriend right?" The mermaid asked.

"Yes." Betty said she still believed this was all a dream.

However before they could continue with anything, they heard Naruto calling for Betty.

"She's here! Naruto!"  
The mermaid said.

There was some movement behind the trees and then Naruto walked out from the same place as before as he saw Betty he released a sigh of relief.

"Ah good, good that you didn't enter the water, Holly is super riled about meeting strangers, she almost killed Mira here. I brought you breakfast but you weren't in the room." Betty gave him a look of disbelief that Naruto didn't register until the mermaid, now identified as Mira said.

"She has no idea what you are talking about. She probably wants an elaborate explanation, you do that while I'll float to Kurama." Mira floated away.  
Naruto and Betty looked at her till she disappeared, then Naruto started explaining.

"This is the inside of my briefcase, my lab and field if you may call it, I brought you here after I suddenly woke up in the middle of the night. So - sleep well?"

"Brilliantly, actually." Betty answered as she walked towards him and grabbed his collar, he instinctively put his hand around her waist.

"I am so happy that you are part of my life, love, I don't know - I just love you." Naruto said.

"I love you too." She pulled him down and kissed him. They kissed for about a minute, then pulled apart.

"So? A sightseeing tour?" Betty asked, Naruto smiled and took her hand and dragged her towards the lake.

"Oye! Come out you lot!"

There was movement throughout the lake and then out came a Horned Serpent, a couple of Hippocampuses, a fully grown Erumpent and following it a small Erumpent, seven creatures that looked like a mix between a tortoise and a crab, a couple of them shot fire from their tails, a deep blue Salamander suddenly became visible on the floating ice part of the lake, a dozen Grindylows emerged out of the lake inside their own bubbles.

"Where is Sierra? Ah! There she is!"  
Betty heard Naruto, as a giant blue 100 feet long Sea Serpent emerged from the lake. It's mouth was bigger than Hagrid.

"They chose to stay with you?" Betty asked, amazed at them.

"Well of -" Before he could complete his sentence they heard flapping of wings.

"Oh nice! they are here."  
Before Betty could question, the sky was filled with birds.

She instantly recognised Amaterasu but just behind her, similar to a large albatross, standing taller than a man, a bird with sun like patterns all over its body, she instantly recognised the bird, it was a Thunderbird.

They weren't all, as she recognised a dozen pink and orange Fwoopers, the tree line broke and out stepped five Diricrawls, four chicks and one adult.

Behind the Fwoopers, she distinctly saw two Dragons, both Chinese Fireball and a Majestic Wani directly behind them.  
All of them started to circle the skies above them and Betty saw Naruto wave his wand and the trees moved aside and away.

Large stones took the open space, the birds landed all around them, apart from Amaterasu, who landed on Naruto's shoulder and Thunderbird, who chose to land directly in front of Betty.

She stood much taller than Betty, now that she saw it close, as a matter of fact, every single one of these creatures were bigger than she ever thought to be.

She also felt some rumbling and turned towards the sound to see a Wampus, a Chimera, couple of Griffins, a Manticore all of them just as big as the Thunderbird.  
There was also what Betty recognised as Hagrid's Hippogriff from last year.

Then they all moved as might roar came.  
"Here he comes!" Naruto said as he smiled.

Betty had never seen such beautiful lion in her life, it's fur was golden and it's mane was made of a mix between gold and some brown metal.  
If she hadn't seen it's silver teeth and small black runes on its body, that glowed golden as it took a breath. She would have mistaken it for just a very well breed Lion.

The lion also seemed enamoured with her as it jumped from it's stone and walked toward Betty, there eyes not moving from each other.

"Will you look at that, they both love your girlfriend."

Betty instantly turned towards what she recognised as Kurama's voice.

She had not seen Kurama in her true form, so when she saw Kurama in her full 30 ft big, with her enormous nine tails swaying around behind her, and that wasn't just it.

All over her body there were random yellow electrical discharges and as she took breaths, Betty saw white flame appear out of her nose.

"Wow! You look so beautiful Kurama!" Betty said.

"Oh, don't try, you already sold me out to big man here, all of them are angry at me now. So I'm not forgiving you."

"What?"

"I think she is pointing to the fact that when you screamed at Monsieur Naruto last night, you slipped on the secret Madame Kurama told you about."

"What I am being told is called, 'Don't mention moments', that is, Monsieur Naruto often cried himself to sleep after his loss." It was Mira who said this.

"Tell me again why are we helping this airhead?"

Kurama's growl of anger frightened everyone except Naruto and Mira, Mira as they had already mentioned being an airhead.

"Because helping her heal will get us enough favours from the 'Sea Souls' to get these guys,"

He waved at the creatures that came from the lake, "A home in the open ocean."  
The Horned Serpent lowered towards Naruto and nudged him forward.

"Don't be like that, you all have my Mark. I can always find you guys and there is no doubt that I would visit you guys." Naruto said with a smile as he patted her head.

"Monsieur, I believe the time of Madame Betty's normal waking up is arriving. You should leave."

"Yeah but before that at least Betty should know the name of these guys."

"That's Holly (Horned Serpent), male Hippocampus there is Jack and his mate Jill, Mama Ermupet likes to be called Just Mama, and yes the Just is part of the name."

"Her daughter Candy, Just Mama was pregnant with Candy when she came on this ride, Candy's birth was very beautiful (horrible) experience for me."

"The Fire Crabs, Dad is Do, Ma is Re and children, Fa, Sol, La, Ti and Doo. Ice Salamander likes to be called Grey. We just went with it. Grindylows don't have a name because they just don't give a damn anyway."

"You know Sierra, the Sea Serpent. Amaterasu The Phoenix, Thundra the Thunderbird, our Dirty Dozen Fwoopers, they are numbered and if you spend enough time with them, you realise which is which, funny enough two, four, six are male while the rest are females -"

"-Mama Diricrawls and her ('jerks' - Kurama added.) chicks! Mama is Middle, first hatchling is North, second is East, Third is West and last is South, Others are just cranky because they can never catch them."

"Yin and Yang, our dragons, Yin has a white spot on his snout, you remember the Mascot from Quidditch World Cup. Kumo, the Wani. Chi, the Wampus."

"Male griffin is Aye and Female is Bee, Mandy, the Manticore and of course Nimi, The Nemean Lion."

"Oh and also Mira, she is about to be 'High Bishop' in court of 'Sea Souls', a similar concept to 'The People Of The Forest', she came to me for some studying as I'm a name holder and that was successful but then she did something I told her not to do."

"I am so sorry about that Monsieur!" Mira moaned in embarrassment.

"- That is enter the lake and Holly attacked her. " Naruto continued without caring about Mira's feelings.

"It's all good, Holly wasn't hurt she was just startled but Mira was hurt. So, I am helping and healing her till she is healthy enough to transfer."

"Yes! Thank you Monsieur!"

"So are there - I don't know- her people are in the Black Lake?" Betty asked.

"No, there are no Mermaids in the Black lake, there are Sirens though, they all speak Mermish." Naruto answered.

"Is there a difference between Mermaids and Sirens?"

"Of course there is! We are not savages! Those beast! They ruin our name!" Mira shouted instantly.

Betty looked at Naruto for explanation.

"Um, The best way to describe it would be, as they both are half human and half fish, Sirens are more fish like, while Mermaids are more human like."

Naruto casually said, as he waved his wand, Betty's and his stuff came flying towards them, and the beasts cleared out until only Kurama, Amaterasu, Thundra, Nimi and Mira remained.

"And that Mermaid's kiss business."

"Truth." Both Naruto and Mira said at the same time but Mira had a dreamy expression on her face, while Naruto was neutral.

"When a mermaid finds true love, she is compelled to kiss that person, and from that point onwards, they start breathing underwater!"

"- A mermaid loses her youth when she marries the man she loves and starts a family! The perfect ending! Such beautiful magic of my people! Don't you think?!"

Mira said with a dreamy look in her face and she joined her hands together, as if praying in happiness for such a gift.

"You are going to become a Bishop, you cannot do that, you have to preserve your knowledge till the next Bishop is born -"

"- So I won't put high stock in such fantasy and return to the quarters provided to me and rest."  
Naruto said as he got ready in his uniform. Mira's face broke from dreamy to as if she ate a sour candy in an instant, and she dragged herself to her living quarters without another word.

"Damn that was cold - you know I love you right?"

Kurama's smile was reciprocated by Naruto who held his hand out for Betty. She held it with one, while all her stuff was in her other hand.

"So do I."


	58. Book 4 Chapter 15: The Second Task

After they left, Naruto and Betty appeared in Naruto's vacant dormitory and both of them parted without another word, owing to the fact that Betty needed to get ready for classes.

Naruto's first lecture was Ancient Runes so he left. He met with Hermione, who was giving him a smug look.

"Don't" Naruto warned light heartedly.

"That was really beautiful, you know, how you two had your first fight and then strengthened your relationship even more! Really Beautiful!"

Hermione said as she flung herself at Naruto's side.

"Yeah, it was really eye opening. That was the first time I've ever been slapped." He said as he entered the class and sat down. Hermione slid next to him.

"What?"

"Yeah, Kicked, stabbed, burned, whipped, cursed and so much more but never slapped."

"Is that really what you —?"

"Of course not! But I'm not talking about that in class!"

"Oh! Yeah. Absolutely." Hermione said as she started to giggle and then their professor entered soon, she just gave one last pinch to his cheek and they returned to studying.

At lunch, Betty sat next to Naruto with Hermione next to him and Ginny in front of him.

"So?" Hermione asked both of them as they were eating their lunch, holding hands under the table.

"'So'?" Naruto repeated.

"What did you two did this morning? I woke up early to wake you up so that you wouldn't be caught by any one but you were already gone. So where were you?" Ginny said.

"Oh! We were off having sex." Naruto said, and the shock on Hermione and Ginny's face was worth the pinching from Betty.

"NO! We were just hanging around in his 'lab'! Not having - anything!" Betty answered almost instantly.

Hermione released her breath that she was holding and Ginny started giggling, after recovering from the shock.  
Betty was fuming at Naruto, who was eating his lunch as if nothing had happened.

After a kiss on Betty's cheek, much to her embarrassment but approval, Naruto and Hermione left for care of magical creatures class.

Hagrid had been continuing Professor Grubbly-Plank lessons on unicorns ever since he'd returned to work.

Almost like Naruto, Hagrid was able to get two Golden baby Unicorns without much effort. Unlike full-grown Unicorns, they were pure gold.  
Parvati and Lavender went into transports of delight at the sight of them, and even Pansy Parkinson had to work hard to conceal how much she liked them.

"Easier ter spot than the adults," Hagrid told the class. "They turn silver when they're abou' two years old, an' they grow horns at aroun four. Don' go pure white till they're full grown, 'round about seven. They're a bit more trustin when they're babies — don mind boys so much — C'mon, move in a bit, yeh can pat 'em if yeh want — give 'em a few o' these sugar lumps —"

Naruto was standing at the back of the class when one of the baby unicorns walked up to him.  
It nudged Naruto, who wasn't paying attention to the class. Naruto looked at him and started to pat the unicorn.

"Hey Fudge," Naruto said as the students moved towards him to see how he was treating the unicorns, and how they seemed attracted towards him.

"Why do they love you so much?" Parvati asked.

"I helped them from time to time. They are very pure beasts, so they only come towards those who wish to do no harm." Naruto answered.

"It has nothing to do with your position as 'The Kitsune of The People Of The Forest'?" It was surprisingly Delphini that asked this.

"It does actually, getting named forms an unyielding magical contract with Nature. These beasts know where and what I am, even from miles away, similarly I can understand whoever is chosen by the Forest to call it home. It is my duty to help and protect the Forest whenever I'm called to do it." Naruto answered.

"How exactly does one become part of this community of homeless people!" Pancy joked but no one but Slytherin laughed, they were about to say something in Naruto's defence but his smile stopped them.

"I don't see a reason to explain to you how it works, considering you lack the talent, the pedigree and the very basic thing for being one."

"And what might that be?" Pancy fumed.

"The ability to put someone's well being before yours." Naruto's words got the Gryffindor side laughing as they all moved towards the castle, as the lesson came to an end.

* * *

Harry came up to Naruto, to ask him to come to the library with others, so this is where we are now.

Harry had just told them about the clue for the next task, that he got from the egg;

Naruto was literally thumping his head with his hand as Hermione and Harry talked, while Ron slept.

"Harry, tell me again." Hermione asked for the tenth time.

Harry who had memorised the clue started,

"Huh, 'Come seek us where our voices sound.'" Harry said.

"The Black Lake, that's obvious." Hermione said as she looked at Naruto for approval for the tenth time, who could just nod, she woke Ron up and handed him the egg.

"'An hour long you'll have to look.'" Harry added.

"Again, obvious. Though, admittedly, potentially problematic." Hermione replied.

Harry gave a look of disbelief and said,

"'Potentially Problematic'? When's the last time you held your breath underwater for an hour, Hermione?"

"I'm saying it again, what about that Animagus potion Naruto can brew, that ought to help." Ron said.

"And as I have said, before you fell asleep, dung brain. I had refused to post the potion's recipe. Meaning if Harry drinks it. It will disqualify him."

Naruto elaborated on Ron's confused face.

"You have to be approved by your Ministry to buy the potion from me, at the cost of 10 Galleons, a vial. So that's out of the question."

The three continued looking at him.

"I've been trying to remember the name of the thing that would definitely help him but cannot, it's just not coming to me, because of your snoring and her throwing the books around'! Let me remember!" Naruto said as he once again started to thump his brain. He had barely registered when Fred and George showed up to get him, Ron and Hermione for McGonagall.

He looked up when Hermione shook him, his eyes going from her face to Neville reading a book in a distance. It clicked.

"Neville!" Neville, Hermione, Harry and Ron all were startled by this.

"Wha -?" Harry was muttering.

"Gillyweed! Neville has Gillyweed. How could I forget! We both went together, I almost forgot because of the conversation. Harry ask Neville for Gillyweed!" Naruto said as he started to leave for McGonagall's office, without another word. Ron and Hermione closely behind him.

"What is Gillyweed?" Ron finally asked after a couple of minutes of traveling.

"A chance for Harry to win." Was Naruto's answer.  
Hermione seemed to accept the answer. Ron not so much.

The trio entered McGonagall's office to find a very confused looking Cho and a little girl that they all could clearly tell was Fleur's sister, in front of them stood Dumbledore, McGonagall and Madame Maxime with her hands on Fleur's sister's shoulders.  
Naruto moved to lean against the nearest wall as Dumbledore started.

"Now that we are all here, it is concerning Tomorrow's task, Madame Maxime, if you will -"

She left after saying something to the little girl and Dumbledore explained further.

* * *

Ron, Hermione, Cho and Fleur's sister sat next to each other on a floating platform, on the top of the black lake with Dumbledore and McGonagall.  
Naruto was working on some silver objects, that looked like eyeballs with fins and a tail, in the corner.

There was a spark and smoke from one of the 'fish' as Naruto dropped the screwdriver and exclaimed.

"Motherfu-!"

"NARUTO!" McGonagall instantly stopping him.

Hermione went towards him and asked,

"How's it coming along?"

"Slow, considering the deadline provided to me."  
Naruto said, while throwing a dirty look at Dumbledore who was quietly munching on some Candy.

He was pretending he couldn't hear Naruto, but considering the smile on his face. He was clearly failing.

"You all should rest, it will take some time."

Naruto said while picking up the magical screwdriver again, and continuing working, there was relief on McGonagall's face. She clearly hated this part of the round.

After about 15 minutes. Dumbledore moved towards Naruto, and as he did Naruto said;

"Done."

The others who had sat around a floating fireball that McGonagall had provided got up knowing it's there time now.

"Now, Naruto would go, the Merpeople already know of this. He would set up cameras around the area and then swim directly below us, then he would bring out four ropes made of seaweed that you all will be tied with -"

"Professor McGonagall and I will cast the enchantment, and don't worry it would protect you. That's our major concern. Are we all in agreement?"

"Yeah, and let's get this over with, I don't want to frostbite." Naruto said as he took out a small gourd shaped glass vial filled with blue liquid, it had a metal cap that had a coin on it. The coin had a mermaid carved in it.  
He opened the vial chugged it and put the vial back in his bag that laid on the platform. His eyes glowed blue and he started to strip.

His muscular tattooed and scarred body visible to everyone. Cho and Fleur's sister couldn't look away. Hermione gave a loud cough that impressed McGonagall and with that Cho and Fluer's sister looked away with massive blushes, while Ron let out a snort.

"Here goes nothing." Naruto took a running start and jumped, while in the air his legs joined together and formed into a large orange fish tail, his hands developed webbing and gills appeared on his neck. They saw him hit the water and then after throwing up a large amount of water up, saw him disappear into the water.

"It's a large area to cover, even with mermen qualities, it would take him at least 45 minutes for him to come back - if only there was some fire seeds -" Dumbledore muttered.

"Naruto might have some in his bag" Hermione said, Dumbledore raised a brow at it but none the less picked up Naruto's bag and opened it to see it only had some stationary and an advanced book on Alchemy.

"I don't think so." He said.

"Oh, you cannot, only a selective few people have permission to open his 'snack box'. Let me headmaster." He handed her the bag and she closed it and said,

"I am Bushy and I am hungry." She blushed as others gave her funny looks but she opened the bag and going through the stuff inside said,

"A bag of Food pills, a couple of instant ramen packs, Miso. A magical thermos which he fills every morning with coffee, a pack of Bertie Bott's every flavoured beans, and yes I knew it! He keeps munching on these every time he feels chilly during winter. Here Milk and Chocolate Fire seeds." They all raised a brow at her knowledge of his feeding schedule.

"He's my best friend." Hermione said with a blush. She handed Dumbledore the fire seeds, who took them and gave a delightful moan on munching on them.

Ron took the every flavoured bean pack, while others denied the offers and went back around the fire.

Dumbledore however had his eyes glued in the waters. After about 50 minutes he said.

"He's here."

Surely enough Naruto jumped out of the water, changed back to human in mid-air, he held four long seaweeds in his hands. As he landed, the sun tattoo on his shoulder glowed and the water evaporated away.

"Sorry it took some time navigating through the place, pitch black it was, Black Lake, rightfully named 'in't. Are those my Beans? And Fireseed?"  
He said as he looked around. Everyone nodded.

"I'll have to restock then. Here professor."  
He handed the seaweeds to McGonagall and took a couple of beans from the box in Ron's hand.

"Ahh! God bless! Hazelnut!"

Now the four were nervous, as the weeds were tied around their feet.

Fleur's sister was the first.

"Don't worry, I'll see you through till the end." Naruto said in perfect French, they all looked at him.

"Betty teaches me sometimes." Naruto explained.  
Dumbledore cast a spell and she fell asleep, her breathing lowered. Naruto picked her up in princess carry and dropped into the water.

He returned a minute later and did the same with Cho and Hermione.

"Do not pick me up!" Ron warned.

"No one will know mate."

"I will." 

"Fine." Naruto said as Dumbledore cast the spell and Naruto simply pushed him into the water.

"NARUTO!" McGonagall exclaimed as Naruto released a groan and jumped in after him.  
Dumbledore picked up Naruto's bag and the platform floated away with Dumbledore and McGonagall on it.

Inside the lake, Naruto dragged Ron, till he was in line with the other four.

He held Hermione and Ron's hand, and connected them through Legilimency and said,

'Sup?' Naruto.

'Bloody hell?!' -Ron.

'You are using Legilimency!'- Hermione.

'Oh right I forgot you are a Legilimen, this feels weird.' - Ron.

'Don't get used to it, I am just leaving an imprint, I am going to stick around till about half an hour before the task begins, I only doing this in case you really need me. For now sleep as you were told to do.'- Naruto.

'Right, yeah — later than.'

With that Naruto cut Ron off by removing his hand from him. He maintained the connection with Hermione.

'Just so you know, I am not going to tease you, about you being Krum's treasure.' Naruto's voice was joyous.

'This counts as teasing.' -Hermione's embarrassment was evident with her thought's voice.

'Then I am definitely going to tease you about this.'- Naruto.

'Nnaarruttttooo!' Hermione pleaded moaning.

'We'll talk about it. Sleep for now, I'll be near.'  
He cut the connection without waiting for her answer and did a backflip and went deeper, suddenly the usual effect started taking place.  
He drifted into darkness and the voice he had heard almost a year ago.

'Hey there, been a while.'

'Hi, yes it has.'

'I thought you loved the sea as much as you love the forest? So why haven't you visited?'

For some reason, Naruto could only reply what was in his heart. He could never twist or hesitate in what he wanted to say, and he felt free.  
He never felt any malice from the owner of the voice so he continued with the truth.

'I made a lake for some magical creatures that live with me, I swim with them from time to time, I never needed to come to the sea for a swim because of that.'

'Oh, I see.'

The voice sounded disappointed but still it didn't give a single hint of negative emotion towards him.

'At least you didn't give up on what you believed in, even after Irene died.'

The voice seemed sad for him.

'I meant what I told you. I will do what I planned to do, till the day I die and I -'

'Never back down on a promise, Like father - like son - like grandson.'

The happiness in the voice was something that filled Naruto with great delight. He couldn't stop himself from asking.

'Who are you?'

There was silence then once again the laughter, it felt so good to hear this laughter.

'The next time you meet your grandmother, ask her about the things that your grandfather didn't write in his journal. You will find me in those stories.'

'I highly doubt that a man, who wrote about how he made love to my Grandma skips a lot in his journal.'

'Well he was always an imbecile in those matters, but he was nothing if not smart. There is a lot more than magic he knew or created, or the things he did, that he kept out of his Journals, he hid everything that can be stolen.'

'Ok, but what are you to me?'

'Uhmmm, a Guardian Angel, maybe. Now wake up, it's time for you to return. Go child.'

Naruto woke up with a startle and saw that the sun had indeed risen, and for a while, as he got from it's position.

So, he swam up towards the four that were tied, the other merpeople who had taken post by now, seemed extremely intrigued by Naruto's form.

He swam in front of the others. Put his hand on Hermione's cheek,

'Where have you been? We have been awake for a couple of hours now.'- Hermione.

'I fell asleep myself but don't worry the task is about to start. I'll see you on the other side.'  
He removed his hand, kissed her forehead, then tapped Ron on the shoulder and swam towards the shore.  
He made it to the shore in the next 5 minutes and as he walked out the water and towards land.

He saw Cedric and Fleur ready at the starting line with the judges, they all saw him come out of the water. He waved his wand and a thin shirt formed on his body.

He walked towards Dumbledore and took his bag from his side. He took out a small battle and took a sip from it. As if no eyes were on him.

"Alright then, waiting for the rest." Ludo said, ignoring Naruto's emmergence from the water.

Soon, Krum and Harry showed up and they all ran into the water.

Dumbledore turned to Naruto who nodded and a white transparent ball floated from his hand, it floated until it was high enough to be seen by everyone, it started to project four scenes.  
One of them showed the four treasures floating deep tied to seaweeds.

Others switched between places where the champions might pass through, they could indeed see each champion pass through them.

"Is that Ron?!" Percy asked.

"Yes." Dumbledore said.

Ludo Bagman lit up when an opportunity for him to commentate showed up. He started giving moment by moment commentary on what was happening in the round, even though they all watched the same thing, it was more fun his way.

Finally after a long time Harry showed up at the point where the treasure were and instead of taking Ron and leaving, he stuck around

At the same time, Naruto felt a jacket being thrown over him.  
It was women's and he knew the smell immediately, it was his favourite smell.

"Hey Bets."

Betty hugged him to share some of her body heat or to get some from him, he didn't know and didn't care either.

"Your talking tiger scared the rest of the girls in our dormitory, and I am certain tigers don't grow so big but thank you for informing me and Ginny where you were."

Naruto tightened his hold on her and muttered.

"I wanted to come personally but I was put on a very tight deadline."

"Anyway what do reckon he is doing?" Betty asked pointing to Harry.

"The right thing." Naruto answered, his nose picked up two other smells. Ginny and Luna

"The right thing?" Ginny asked.

"Making sure everyone is safe, right?" Luna answered.

"That's the ticket." Naruto answered.

Unknown to them the rest of the judges heard there chat, and were now in deep thought.  
While Fleur who had failed at the Grindylows attack.

Finally Cedric showed up who told Harry to watch the time and left with Cho.

Harry took his wand out and was about to free Hermione but the nearest siren attacked him and other sirens surrounded him but then they ran away as Krum, half transfigured into a shark came and free.

Harry then took his wand and threatened the sirens as they parted he freed Fleur's sister and Ron, effects of Gillyweed ran out and Harry with extreme difficulty brought Ron and the girl to the surface.

Just as soon as they made surface, the crowd cheered for them. Ron returned to his senses and said to Harry, "Wet, this, isn't it?" Then he spotted Fleur's sister. "And why did you bring her for?"

"Fleur didn't turn up, I couldn't leave her," Harry panted.

"Harry, you prat," said Ron, "you didn't take that song thing seriously, did you? Dumbledore wouldn't have let any of us drown! Look up! Naruto's cameras were constantly on us, he would have returned for the one that was left behind!"

"The song said -"

"It was only to make sure you got back inside the time limit!" said Ron.  
"I hope you didn't waste time down there acting the hero!"

They were suddenly intercepted by Naruto.

"Lean on me you three." He said as he pointed his wand towards the shore and they all sailed there like speed boats.

There Percy helped Ron. Fleur, hysterical came and enveloped her sister in a crushing hug.  
Naruto helped Harry to Madam Pomfrey who was already fussing over Cho, Cedric, Krum, Hermione and now finally Ron, Fleur and her sister.

Naruto brought Harry to Madam Pomfrey and she started working in them, Naruto took out the same bottle he had drank from when he came out and handed it to Cho who was nearest to him.

"Here, for warmth and prevention of any infections, take a sip and pass it on."

Cho took as sip and truly enough colour returned to her pale cheeks, similar things happened to everyone.

Naruto took the bottle back just before the judges announcement and muttered.

"It takes time to brew you know, thank you might have been nice." Hermione and Krum who were now standing near him heard it and blushed, as they started.

"Thank you Naruto." Krum said as he patted Naruto's shoulder.

While Hermione kissed both his cheek and leaned on him for heat as she muttered thank you.  
Followed by everyone else saying thank you.

It was time for judges announcement. Ludo Bagman announced.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have reached our decision. we have decided to award marks out of fifty for each of the champions, as follows - "

"- Fleur Delacour, though she demonstrated excellent use of the Bubble-Head Charm, was attacked by grindylows as she approached her goal, and failed to retrieve her hostage. We award her twenty-five points."

Applause from the stands.

"I deserved zero," said Fleur throatily, shaking her magnificent head.

"Cedric Diggory, who also used the Bubble-Head Charm, was first to return with his hostage, though he returned one minute outside the time limit of an hour."

Enormous cheers from the Hufflepuffs in the crowd;

"We therefore award him forty-seven points. Viktor Krum used an incomplete form of Transfiguration, which was nevertheless effective, and was second to return with his hostage. We award him forty points."

Karkaroff clapped particularly hard, looking very superior.

"Harry Potter used Gillyweed to great effect," Bagman continued. "He returned last, and well outside the time limit of an hour. However, as we all saw through the view provided to us by 'The Owl Post', that Mr. Potter was first to reach the hostages, and that the delay in his return was due to his determination to return all hostages to safety, not merely his own."

Ron and Hermione both gave Harry half-exasperated, half-commiserating looks.  
While Betty, Ginny and Luna just sighed. Naruto however was waiting for the 'but'.

"Most of the judges -" and here it was,  
Bagman gave Karkaroff a very nasty look,  
"- feel that this shows moral fiber and merits full marks. However - Mr. Potter's score is forty-five points."

"Ha! You are tied for first place Motherfu -!"

"NARUTO!" - McGonagall.

"Where do you come from?! Every time I am cussing!" Naruto said out loud only for people near him to listen. They laughed.

"The third and final task will take place at dusk on the twenty-fourth of June," continued Bagman.  
"The Champions will be notified of what is coming precisely one month beforehand. Thank you all for your support of the Champions."

As all Champions, Hostages, Owl post members and judges were returning to the castle, Harry, Ron and Hermione stayed behind a little longer to wait for Naruto as he collected the cameras he had placed throughout the black lake.

Unlike last time, this time, all he had to do was wave his wand and the cameras swam back to him. As they were walking back, Harry said.

"Thanks for the last minute advice Naruto, Neville had the Gillyweed."

"Well then you should thank Neville for saving your ass, and the book that Moody suggested, if it wasn't for it. Neville would not have jumped at the first opportunity from me to go collect those samples."

They all agreed with the assessment. Naruto followed all of them in relative silence after that.


	59. Book 4 Chapter 16: R.I.P. Mr. Crouch

One of the best things about the aftermath of the second task was that everybody was very keen to hear details of what had happened down in the lake.

Which meant that Ron was getting to share Harry's limelight for once.

Naruto would often notice that Ron's version of events changed subtly with every retelling.

At first, he gave what seemed to be the truth; it tallied with Hermione's story, 'Anyway - we went to the lake after Dumbledore had explained everything to us. Naruto put us all in places while Dumbledore put all the hostages into a bewitched sleep, after all three of them first assuring us that we would be quite safe, and would awake when we were back above the water -'

One week later, however, Ron was telling a thrilling tale of kidnap in which he struggled single-handedly against fifty heavily armed merpeople, who had to beat him into submission before tying him up.

"But I had my wand hidden up my sleeve," he assured Padma Patil, who seemed to be a lot keener on Ron now that he was getting so much attention and was making a point of talking to him every time they passed in the corridors.  
"I could've taken those mer-idiots any time I wanted."

"What were you going to do, snore at them?" said Hermione waspishly.

Naruto had been teasing her so much about being the thing that Viktor Krum would 'most miss' that she was in a rather tetchy mood whenever Naruto was near.

At this moment he was reading a book next to her on there shared desk.

Naruto smirked as Hermione fumed and Ron's ears went red, and thereafter, he reverted to the bewitched sleep version of events.

As they entered March the weather became drier, but cruel winds skinned their hands and faces every time they went out onto the grounds.  
There were delays in the post because the owls kept being blown off course.

* * *

On Monday, Naruto was running around the castle like he usually did, to see Hagrid digging.

"What are doing there Hagrid?" Naruto asked.

"Ah! Naruto, Diggin' fer next lesson!" Hagrid answered.

"What are you showing us next?"

Naruto asked as he looked around, hoping to see any indication of a beast there.

"Nifflers!" Hagrid beamed and so did Naruto.

"I've never seen a Niffler up close! Oh man! Show me please." Naruto pleaded.

"With the class Naruto, now go or yeh will be late."  
Hagrid said and Naruto left with an expression mock hurt while muttering.

"But I cannot wait till then." Even then he left.

At breakfast, Hermione, Naruto, Ron and Harry were sitting together, when the morning post came.

"Waiting for something?" Ron asked Hermione as she looked up.

"I have taken a subscription of 'The Daily Prophet', I'm just waiting for that." Hermione answered.

"Good thinking!" Harry said.

However instead of one owl, about 10 owls landed amongst them.

"What the hell?" Naruto said.

"How many subscriptions did you take?" Ron asked.

Naruto reaches for the letters and took one out and read:

YOU ARE A WICKED GIRL. HARRY POTTER DESERVES BETTER. GO BACK WHERE YOU CAME FROM MUGGLE.

"News caught on." Naruto muttered as he took out his wand waved it and all the letters flew into his hand. His sun tattoo had appeared in his hand and burned all the letters to ash.

They went to their Herbology afterwards, which went without much problem and then to Care of Magical Creatures.

Hagrid, who had told them last lesson when they had finished with Unicorns, was waiting for them outside his cabin with a fresh supply of open crates at his feet.

Naruto moved fastest to the crates inside he found himself looking at a number of flurry black creatures with long snouts. Their front paws were curiously flat, like spades, and they were blinking up at the class, looking politely puzzled at all the attention.

"These're Nifflers," said Hagrid, when the class had gathered around. "Yeh find 'em down mines mostly. They like sparkly stuff - There yeh go, look."

One of the Nifflers had jumped on Naruto's waiting hands and moved to his left shoulder, and bent down to reach for the band on Naruto's arm and the started to pull on it.

Naruto laughed as other Nifflers started to jump on him as well. One of them started to pull on the red streak in Naruto's hair.

"Oye!" Naruto exclamied but everyone else could just laugh, as half a dozen Nifflers moving all over Naruto's body.

One of them pulled his necklace out and as soon as it came into view all the Nifflers stopped trying to steal from Naruto.

"Come to your senses. Have you?" Naruto said as he gently, one by one put the Nifflers back in the crates.

Then he put the necklace back inside his clothes but Pancy, who had wide eyes on seeing Naruto's necklace, asked.

"Was that the Emerald of Senju?!"

"Yeah." Naruto answered in dry voice.

"Oh my god!" Parvati said, while some other girls just had looks of absolute shock on their face.

"What the hell is 'Emerald of Senju'?" Ron asked.

"You don't know the emerald of Senju! It is a priceless piece of jewellery!" Lavender said.

"What?!" Ron exclaimed.

"Why do you have it Namikaze?!" Pancy exclaimed, or shrieked.

"It's family heirloom, now can we focus in the class?" Naruto said as he focused on Hagrid.

"Useful little treasure detectors," said Hagrid happily, at getting everyone's attention back.  
"Thought we'd have some fun with 'em today. See over there?" He pointed at the large patch of freshly turned earth.

"I've buried some gold coins. I've got a prize fer whoever picks the Niffler that digs up most. Jus' take off all yer valuables, an' choose a Niffler, an get ready ter set 'em loose."

Naruto didn't remove anything even if he has two shiny things on him. His band and his necklace both had magic on them such that nothing could remove them.

So, he chose the Niffer that had jumped on his head and pulled on his red streak.

His Niffler was the most useless amongst all others, all he had managed to get was one coin, other times, it got roots back to Naruto but Naruto would congratulate and celebrated it's every return with such a laugh that even the Nifflers would roll on the floor in delight.

"I love him." Naruto said removing a tear from his eyes.

"Can you buy these as pets, Hagrid?" Ron asked excitedly as his Niffler dived back into the soil, splattering his robes.

"Yer mum wouldn' be happy, Ron," said Hagrid, grinning. "They wreck houses, Nifflers. I reckon they've nearly got the lot, now," he added, pacing around the patch of earth while the Nifflers continued to dive. "I on'y buried a hundred coins."

"Well, let's check how yeh've done!" said Hagrid.  
"Count yer coins! An' there's no point tryin' ter steal any, Goyle," he added, his beetle-black eyes narrowed. "It's leprechaun gold. Vanishes after a few hours."

Goyle emptied his pockets, looking extremely sulky.

It turned out that Ron's Niffler had been most successful, so Hagrid gave him an enormous slab of Honeydukes chocolate for a prize.

The bell rang across the grounds for lunch, the rest of the class set off back to the castle but Harry, Ron, Naruto and Hermione stayed behind to help Hagrid put the Nifflers back in their boxes.  
More like Ron and Harry, as Hermione was just standing there laughing at Naruto.

Who was playing with Nifflers and giggling like a two year old as they tried to take the coins from his hands, while he kept throwing the coins from one hand to another,

While the rest jumped and moved all over his body trying to get the coin finally he threw the coin in the crates and they all ran after it and got inside the crates.

"Ah man! I love these guys, so Ron are you going to buy a Niffler?"

Ron, however, was frowning at the chocolate Hagrid had given him. He looked thoroughly put out about something.

"What's the matter?" said Harry.  
"Wrong flavor?"

"No," said Ron shortly.  
"Why didn't you tell me about the gold?"

"What gold?" said Harry.

"The gold I gave you at the Quidditch World Cup," said Ron.

"The leprechaun gold I gave you for my Omnioculars. In the Top Box. Why didn't you tell me it disappeared?"

"Oh —" Harry said, the memory coming back to him at last.  
"I dunno - I never noticed it had gone. I was more worried about my wand, wasn't I?"

They climbed the steps into the entrance hall and went into the Great Hall for lunch.

"Must be nice," Ron said abruptly, when they had sat down and started serving themselves roast beef and Yorkshire puddings.  
"To have so much money you don't notice if a pocketful of Galleons goes missing."

"Listen, I had other stuff on my mind that night!" said Harry impatiently. "We all did, remember?"

"I didn't know leprechaun gold vanishes," Ron muttered.  
"I thought I was paying you back. You shouldn't've given me that Chudley Cannon hat for Christmas."

"Forget it, all right?" said Harry.

Ron speared a roast potato on the end of his fork, glaring at it. Then he said,  
"I hate being poor."

Harry, Naruto and Hermione looked at each other. None of them really knew what to say.

"It's rubbish," said Ron, still glaring down at his potato.

"I don't blame Fred and George for trying to make some extra money. Wish I could. Wish I had a Niffler."

"Well, we know what to get you next Christmas," said Hermione brightly.

Then, when Ron continued to look gloomy Naruto said,

"Come on, Ron, it could be worse. At least you have people that love you. Believe me, without love and with a whole lot of money you wouldn't be the most important thing, Happy."

That only lifted Ron' spirit a bit.

* * *

The rest of the term went without much problem for Naruto, he served a lot of detention because of either being late or a prank he had played on someone.

He would be late if ran into Betty on the way to classes but apart from that or if someone did something stupid, then like a serial killer his switch would be clicked and he'd end up pranking them.

Most of the time it was Mr. Filch. The war of Punishment and Pranks between the two had gone so far that he didn't even remember who started it.

Apart from that his homework was up-to date, his work was as brilliant as it usually was.

Today, that is, in the last week of May, as Naruto stuck around after class for his detention.

He was in detention because he had transfigured a bunch of quills into worms to scare a bunch of first year girls, was joined by Harry after last Transfiguration class because Professor McGonagall had to tell him something.

"You are to go down to the Quidditch field tonight at nine o'clock. Potter," she told Harry.  
"Mr. Bagman will be there to tell the Champions about the third task."

After that, Harry left.

"No cameras allowed?"  
Naruto asked McGonagall as he started to clean the animal cages, without magic.

"No, not in this round." McGonagall said as she started to work.

"You have to give me some credit though, that was some work of Transfiguration."  
Naruto said as wiped the floor of the first cage.

"Oh it was brilliant, wordless as well. I would have awarded points to Gryffindor, if it was done for academic purposes and not to scare those girls."

"They got scared to easily." Naruto defended himself.

McGonagall gave a sound of approval but didn't speak and so Naruto returned to cleaning cages.

* * *

Later as Naruto was returning to Gryffindor tower by crossing the hall that led to Dumbledore's office he saw Harry running towards it, so he went to investigate.

There he saw Harry and Snape arguing.

"Look," said Harry angrily, "Crouch isn't right - he's - he's out of his mind - he says he wants to warn -"

The stone wall behind Snape slid open. Dumbledore was standing there, wearing long green robes and a mildly curious expression.  
"Is there a problem?" he asked, looking between Harry and Snape. Then towards Naruto, who had just walked towards them.

"Professor!" Harry said, sidestepping Snape before Snape could speak, "Mr. Crouch is here - he's down in the forest, he wants to speak to you!"

"Lead the way, Naruto follow please, we might need a tracker." he said promptly, and he swept off along the corridor behind Harry, Naruto closely behind.

"What did Mr. Crouch say. Harry?" said Dumbledore as they walked swiftly down the marble staircase.

"Said he wants to warn you — said he's done something terrible — he mentioned his son — and Bertha Jorkins — and - and Voldemort — something about Voldemort getting stronger —"

"Indeed," said Dumbledore, and he quickened his pace as they hurried out into the pitch-darkness.

"He's not acting normally," Harry said, hurrying along beside Dumbledore.

"He doesn't seem to know where he is. He keeps talking like he thinks Percy Weasley's there, and then he changes, and says he needs to see you — I left him with Viktor Krum."

"Did he talk like he was just waking up from a deep and long sleep, and all his thoughts and people were mixed together?" Naruto asked from behind the two.

"Exactly! Exactly like that!" Harry said.

"Professor isn't that -?" Naruto trailed off as he started to jog.  
Quickly getting ahead of the two.

"Yes." said Dumbledore sharply, and he began to take longer strides still, so that Harry was running to keep up with them.  
"Do you know if anybody else saw Mr. Crouch?"

"No," said Harry.  
"Krum and I were talking, Mr. Bagman had just finished telling us about the third task, we stayed behind, and then we saw Mr. Crouch coming out of the forest -"

"Where are they?" said Dumbledore as the Beauxbatons carriage emerged from the darkness.

"Over here -" said Harry, moving in front of Dumbledore and Naruto who was looking up at the trees, they followed Harry who was leading the way through the trees now.

"Viktor?" Harry shouted. No one answered.

"They were here," Harry said to Dumbledore.  
"They were definitely somewhere around here —"

"Lumos," Dumbledore said, lighting his wand and holding it up.

Its narrow beam traveled from black trunk to black trunk, illuminating the ground, and then it fell upon a pair of feet.

Naruto hurried forward. Krum was sprawled on the forest floor. He seemed to be unconscious.  
There was no sign at all of Mr. Crouch.  
Naruto bent over Krum and gently lifted one of his eyelids.

"Stunned, Professor."

"Should I go and get someone?" said Harry. "Madam Pomfrey?"

"No," said Dumbledore swiftly.  
"Stay here."

Dumbledore raised his wand into the air and pointed it in the direction of Hagrid's cabin.  
Naruto saw Dumbledore's patronus fly towards Hagrid's Hut.

Then Dumbledore bent over Krum, pointed his wand at him, and muttered, "Ennervate."

Krum opened his eyes. He looked dazed. When he saw Dumbledore, he tried to sit up, but Dumbledore put a hand on his shoulder and made him lie still.

"He attacked me!" Krum muttered, putting a hand up to his head. "The old madman attacked me! I vos looking around to see vare Potter had gone and he attacked from behind!"

"Lie still for a moment -" Dumbledore said.

The sound of thunderous footfalls reached them, and Hagrid came panting into sight with Fang at his heels. He was carrying his crossbow.

"Professor Dumbledore!" he said, his eyes widening.  
"Naruto, Harry - what the - ?"

"Hagrid, I need you to fetch Professor Karkaroff," said Dumbledore.  
"His student has been attacked. When you've done that, kindly alert Professor Moody -"

"No need, Dumbledore," said a wheezy growl.  
"I'm here."

Moody was limping toward them, leaning on his staff, his wand lit.

"Damn leg," he said furiously.

"Would've been here quicker — what's happened? Snape said something about Crouch -"

"Crouch?" said Hagrid blankly.

"Karkaroff, please, Hagrid!" said Dumbledore sharply.

"Naruto -" Harry heard the authority in Dumbledore's voice, he saw Naruto take his wand out and say.

"Amaterasu." Naruto's Phoenix that had grown bigger, compared to the last time Harry saw her, appeared with a flash of red and yellow fire and they heard Naruto's command.

"Hunt for Barty Crouch. Go Amaterasu."  
Amaterasu flew above and away into the forest.

"Your Phoenix knows hunting?" Moody asked but Naruto didn't answer, within a second he vanished from his spot.

"Where did -?" Harry was muttering.

"I don't know where Barty Crouch is," Dumbledore told Moody, "But it is essential that we find him. Inside a forest and especially this forest, if Naruto won't be able to find him, no one will. You should go and inform the Ministry about this."

"I'm on it." Moody said as he limped back towards the castle.

The two stood in silence, until they heard the unmistakable sounds of Hagrid and Fang returning.

Karkaroff was hurrying along behind them. He was wearing his sleek silver furs, and he looked pale and agitated.

"What is this?" he cried when he saw Krum on the ground and Dumbledore and Harry beside him.  
"What's going on?"

"I vos attacked!" said Krum, sitting up now and rubbing his head.  
"Mr. Crouch or votever his name -"

"Crouch attacked you? Crouch attacked you? The Triwizard Judge?"

"Igor," Dumbledore began, but Karkaroff had drawn himself up, clutching his furs around him, looking livid.

"Treachery!" he bellowed, pointing at Dumbledore.  
"It is a plot! You and your Ministry of Magic have lured me here under false pretenses, Dumbledore! This is not an equal competition! First you sneak Potter into the tournament, though he is underage! Now one of your Ministry friends attempts to put my Champion out of action! I smell double-dealing and corruption in this whole affair, and you, Dumbledore, you, with your talk of closer international wizarding links, of rebuilding old ties, of forgetting old differences - here's what I think of you!"

Karkaroff spat onto the ground at Dumbledore's feet.  
In one swift movement, Hagrid seized the front of Karkaroff's furs, lifted him into the air, and slammed him against a nearby tree.

"Apologize!" Hagrid snarled as Karkaroff gasped for breath, Hagrid's massive fist at his throat, his feet dangling in midair.

"Hagrid, no!" Dumbledore shouted, his eyes flashing.

Hagrid removed the hand pinning Karkaroff to the tree, and Karkaroff slid all the way down the trunk and slumped in a huddle at its roots; a few twigs and leaves showered down upon his head.

"Kindly escort Harry back up to the castle, Hagrid," said Dumbledore sharply.  
Breathing heavily, Hagrid gave Karkaroff a glowering look.

However before anything else could happen a big white tiger with greyish stripes appeared in the clearing,

"Amaterasu found the body it was covered with an invisibility cloak, you should come."  
The tiger started to move back into the clearing and the others started to follow.

"What are you doing? I asked you to go back."

"Maybe I'd better stay here. Headmaster —"

"You will take Harry back to school, Hagrid," Dumbledore repeated firmly.

"Take him right up to Gryffindor Tower. And Harry - I want you to stay there. Anything you might want to do - including informing Sirius - they can wait until morning, do you understand me?"

"Er - yes," said Harry, staring at him. How had Dumbledore known that, at that very moment, he had been thinking about sending Hedwig straight to Sirius, to tell him what had happened.

"I'll leave Fang with yeh. Headmaster," Hagrid said, staring menacingly at Karkaroff, who was still sprawled at the foot of the tree, tangled in furs and tree roots.  
"Stay, Fang. C'mon, Harry."

Dumbledore followed Naruto's patronus to see Naruto kneeling beside Crouch's dead body.

The invisibility cloak discarded aside.

Amaterasu was munching on some seed on the ground. A job well done, treat no doubt.

"Killed by the killing curse, from the looks of it, he walked all the way here." Naruto said as he spotted Dumbledore.

"He was under a particularly powerful Imperius Curse, it wasn't Peter, he couldn't cast something that powerful, maybe the woman that attacked you." Dumbledore muttered.

"Well, we'll never know, and whoever killed him shouldn't have escaped without getting noticed, but I checked, there was not a single trail in either side -"

"- one that went back to the castle but that could be mine from this morning, that's centaur territory and Amaterasu checked around, nobody out of the ordinary."

"So whoever killed him apparated away from inside the Centaur territory without getting spotted by them or they are in the castle." Naruto said as he patted Amaterasu's back and she vanished with flames.

"Yes. I will send word to the chief Centaur, maybe he saw someone but till then we should move him."

Dumbledore said as he pointed his wand at Crouch's body and it started to float. Naruto picked up the invisibility cloak and followed.

"So should we inform his Elf?" Naruto asked.

"Maybe." Was all the answer Dumbledore gave.  
They both made it to Hagrid's hut and there they saw Moody with a ministry employee and Hagrid.  
All of the spotted the body and the colour from the ministry employee's face vanished.

"No -" He muttered.

"It cannot be helped, send word to Fudge, and take the body for a proper burial. Hagrid and Naruto, you both know the forest better than anyone but I cannot allow a student to go into the forest when it's dark. So I request from both of you to try and find a trail tomorrow morning." Dumbledore said.

"Absolutely Headmaster." Naruto said. Hagrid nodded.

"Alastor and I will handle the ministry, so for now both of us will be in my office while Naruto, you should go back to the dormitory."

Everyone agreed and left on their way, when Naruto entered the Dormitory, he was ambushed by Hermione, Ron and Harry.

"So? What happened? Did you find Mr. Crouch?" Harry asked.

"Yes." Naruto could only mutter.

"How is he?" Hermione asked.

"Dead." Was Naruto's reply.

He didn't wait for them to get over their shock and ask more questions, he left to go to sleep.  
All these events were no coincidence, but he just couldn't understand what was going on. He had a nagging feeling but there wasn't anything conclusive.

He went to bed and remained in deep thought and sooner than he realised, he fell asleep.

The next morning before dawn Naruto was in front of Hagrid's hut. Hagrid might have known that this was when Naruto would come, because he was getting out of his hut with a crossbow in his hand and his umbrella strapped on his belt.

"We'll start at the place where you found the body." Hagrid said as, him and Fang led the way.  
The three made it to that location to find centaurs standing at the border of their territory.

They were all now standing in the clearing where Naruto had found crouch but it was destroyed.  
Ruining any chance of someone picking up a trail.  
The only people that could help were the ones in whose backyard this happened.

"Bane." Naruto said with a monotone.

"Fox." Bane said sharply.

"You got Dumbledore's word." Naruto asked. Bane just grunted.

"You lot seen or heard what happened here?" Hagrid asked.

"No, we ourselves came here to see this place in such a condition, there were no noise after Lord Fox and Dumbledore left."  
It was another centaur called Firenze that answered.

"Then we'll try to see around ourselves. Thank you for showing up."  
Naruto said, his eyes still glued on Bane, as if he meant it for everyone but him. They all left without another word.

"Didn't know you hated Bane so much?" Hagrid said.

"Bastard shot me in the back, thinking I was hurting one of the females of his tribe while I was helping her. As she had accidentally stumbled outside their territory. I understood the shooting part but he never apologised, that's why I'm angry at him." Naruto said.

"When did that happen?!" Hagrid asked, the thing was female centaurs were very beautiful. It is said that no single man could control themselves when in the presence of one. That's why female centaurs mainly stayed inside their territory because they were often attacked by wizards for their beauty.

"After we rescued Sirius last year and before the term ended, it mostly escaped my mind but it comes back when I see him, sometimes in the morning."

"Anyway, it would be difficult to find a trail now, and there are way too many creatures in the area for Kurama to find any distinct smell, but I can try to find signs of movement in that direction." Naruto said pointing towards their right.

"Yeah, you are right, I'll try the other direction, let's meet back at me home in an hour. Then we can report to Dumbledore." Hagrid said as he started to move, and so did Naruto.

Naruto walked into the direction and he looked around, the nearest and best way to the castle was the part in the forest that came from Hogsmeade.

He walked towards it, thinking that it might be the way the person might have walked and when he entered that trail, he could tell that it hadn't been travelled on for quite some time, so he went back and now went to the route he took.

This was the part of the hike that he took while returning to the castle.  
It was a difficult climb, but now that the person had proven themselves to be fast enough to damage the clearing in a small window and run away, Naruto thought that they might just be fit enough to follow his path.

He followed the path that he had made in the forest by walking through it daily for the last 4 Years and walked till he made it to a fallen tree on a small hill. The path died there.  
It was no surprise, since Naruto always used the fallen tree as an elevation to jump on top of the trees and then he would jump from one to another for about a mile towards the castle and drop to run out near Hagrid's home.

He followed the trail to see that it really did look like nobody had walked through this for a while, he went slowly checking for any signs so he made it Hagrid's hut about more than an hour later and found Hagrid standing there.

"Nothing?" Hagrid asked.

"No, you?" Naruto asked as he took the jar with water that Hagrid passed to him.

"Nothing. Nobody went around. That's for sure." Hagrid said as he got up.

"Let's go and inform Professor Dumbledore, or you will be late for your lesson. Wonder what the paper says?" Hagrid said as he started to move towards the castle.

"No idea." Naruto muttered.

They went into Dumbledore's office to find him alone and told him all the trails that they checked.

"Thank you, both of you for trying. You may leave Hagrid, I have some more questions for Naruto."

Hagrid nodded and left.

"Something is bothering you isn't it?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yeah, it's that all the paths and things that we checked and the condition of the clearing suggests to me that -"

"The man that killed Mr. Crouch is in this castle, Yes I've been wondering the same thing." Dumbledore said with a solemn smile.

Naruto was shocked but he thought that, there is a reason his Grandmother respected this man.

"And what about the tournament professor? I think the tournament won't really make the difference it was supposed to. You know -"  
"- if people find that one of the judges, and the person responsible for it was under the Imperius Curse, no idea for how long, and was then killed right under everyone's noses. I don't mean to be rude to you or The Ministry but for this to happen -"

"The person has to be very close to me to blindside me like this -"

"And you have thought of that too, hence the solemn look. I will stop talking now."

"No, no, the way your thoughts are working tells me that I might be on the right track, and to be honest, I am not that worried about my image but what worries me is the safety of the one person that had been there every time dangerous events transpired."

"Harry. Last I talked to Sirius he was coming to Hogsmeade with Mrs. Weasley and Bill for the Third Round."

"Professor Lupin, who has finally found satisfying work near his home, is working. So, If you want, I can tell them about things here." Naruto said.

"I saw Hedwig take flight this morning so I believe Sirius is already informed but I believe you should inform Remus, tell him he doesn't need to come but should be on the lookout -"

"- Now I believe you should head to the bath or you will be very late for your classes." Dumbledore said.

Naruto nodded and ran to the bath. He took a quick bath, used a school owl for delivery and arrived at breakfast only 10 minutes before it ended and the first lesson began.

"Where were you? We were so worried about you." Betty said as she spotted him.

She had barely touched her breakfast after she had heard that Naruto was out in the forbidden forest with Hagrid looking for a way to find the killer.

The news of murder was the only thing everyone could talk about. Even though it was not in the morning newspaper.  
The rumor has started and the grim faces and weird movements of teachers only seemed to confirm the rumours.

Naruto sat next to Betty held her hand tightly and turned to the rest who were also waiting for an answer.

"I cannot tell all of you everything here but you should know, especially you Harry. Watch out."

"This murder happened in Hogwarts grounds and if someone can murder someone here without leaving a trail, they are beyond dangerous. And also." He turned to Betty and the others

"You know I usually worry about you guys lot, even though, I know you all can take care of yourself but -"

He looked at Betty.

"Something recently has made me realise, if I throw myself in danger I have no right to tell you not to. But this is different, this is the unknown. I am going to worry and be a little snappy. "

"So, all of you don't do anything stupid like run down a trap door stupid or open the chamber of secrets stupid or run after a person convicted of murder stupid, without telling me."

"I don't want to sound arrogant but I think it is pretty clear that I am best equipped for fights and other dangerous situations so I want to know, I am trying to protect the people I love, from situations that come towards them, not the ones that they are creating. Alright?" He finished.

All of them looked guilty because it was true.  
They went down the trap door without talking to him even though it was him that took that troll down.

They talked to a diary and even though he remained friendly towards them and told them that they could ask for his help anytime they didn't, they ran down to fight a Basilisk without informing the person that figured out the monster.

Ginny and Betty looked guilty for running out to find the rat, that was Peter because they were told by Hagrid that he had Scabbers and as soon as they did, they ran to take him without thinking.  
It was to prove that Naruto was right about what he was telling McGonagall but they didn't account for Peter being a killer, hundreds of Dementors in the area and Lupin's werewolf condition wasn't exactly there fault but it was one of the unknown types of dangers that Naruto talked about.

"Yeah, Definitely." Ron said.

"Of course, ok." Harry.

"I promise." Hermione.

"So do I." Ginny.

Betty and Naruto looked into each other's eyes, the message from Betty was clear.

'I will, if you will.'

"Till the adults figure this mess out all of us are on our own things. Ginny, Betty you both with Luna will finish 'The Owl Post. I have already dropped the photos off and the three of us will prepare Harry for the third task. One last chance for someone to make attack on you look like an accident. We will sure you are ready enough to survive." Naruto said and they all agreed completely.

After that Naruto kissed Betty on the head and left for class with others.

Hermione was responsible for researching hexes and jinx. While Naruto and Ron helped Harry practice. They were able to find empty classrooms for Harry to practise in.

Naruto had also given Harry his practice dummy on which he practiced mostly his hexes.

However right now Harry was working on stunning spells, which could only be truly understood on live targets.

Naruto landed harshly on the cushions as Ron stood in the corner holding his aching back.  
While Hermione just went through the book on spells in the corner.

"On second thought, I think I don't care about you." Naruto muttered in a hoarse tone. His body was clearly in pain.

"Sorry Naruto." Harry said.

"Can we get Dobby or someone else. What about Mrs Norris." Ron said as he got ready for his turn.

"I'll abduct her but you'll have to take the blame." Naruto answered.

Hermione finally looked up from the list they had made in the library.

"I like the look of this one," she said, "this Impediment Curse. Should slow down anything that's trying to attack you. Harry. We'll start with that one."

As the bell rang Tlthey hastily shoved the cushions back into Flitwicks cupboard and slipped out of the classroom.

Naruto and Hermione went to Ancient Runes together while Ron and Harry went for Divination, after that they all will be told about everything that happened with Harry in Divination and then in Dumbledore's office.

With Fudge and the pensieve.

They all sat in the common room when he had told them everything.

"And he trusts Snape?" Ron said.  
"He really trusts Snape, even though he knows he was a Death Eater?"

"Yes," said Harry.

Hermione and Naruto were silent.

"Rita Skeeter," she muttered.

"How can you be worrying about her now?" said Ron, in utter disbelief.

"I'm not worrying about her," Hermione said to her knees.  
"I'm just thinking - remember what she said to me in the Three Broomsticks? 'I know things about Ludo Bagman that would make your hair curl. '"

"This is what she meant, isn't it? She reported his trial, she knew he'd passed information to the Death Eaters. And Winky too, remember - 'Ludo Bagman's a bad wizard.' Mr. Crouch would have been furious he got off, he would have talked about it at home."

"Yeah, but Bagman didn't pass information on purpose, did he?" Harry.

Hermione shrugged.

They turned to Naruto who was looking at the fire in deep thought.

"Naruto -" Harry.

"So many secrets - so many truths - nothing makes sense, until it does." Naruto muttered.

Ron looked at Naruto as if he has lost his mind.

"What?" Ron asked.

"One of the things my grandfather wrote at the end of things that disturbed him, 'when there are so many secrets kept from you, so many truths that cannot be questioned, remember that nothing makes sense until it does.'-"

"- Ludo Bagman's image in many resistance circles, Snape and Karkaroff's weird behaviour, Wormtail's escape, Crouch's murder, your dreams. Everything never made sense to me, but now they all fit to clear one thing."

"And what is that?" Ron asked gulping. Hermione and Harry both equally afraid.

"Someone is making sure that Lord Voldemort is not forgotten. Not by the world, not by those who followed him, not by the Ministry and especially not by the one person that destroyed him." Naruto said.

Harry retracted, Naruto's eyes were so different suddenly.

Till now Harry had forgotten what Naruto was, maybe because of his goofy nature or the fact that he was so approachable.  
He had forgotten that this was the guys that fought a world known battle and was in fact still fighting the global terrorist, 'The Children of The Beast'.

The other two were thinking along the same lines.

"Why do you think someone wants to do so?" Ron asked.

"And why now? Or who?" Hermione asked.

"If I had to guess, for why, maybe the benefits for them outclass the pain. Why now, I don't see a better time."

On their confused looks he elaborated.

"Because think about it, if I now suddenly have a guy that I can bully to do anything and that guy can actually turn into a rat, add the fact that this year just happens to have a huge influx of people due to the tournament. "

"Perfect cover to play the puppet master. Everything fits. What I cannot even place my finger on is who, who would do all this, without raising any alarm." Naruto finished.

"Maybe the women that attacked you." Hermione said.

"Nah, I don't think so, if she was really here, I would know. It is really difficult for humans to hide their smell from me." Naruto said,

"Smell?" Harry asked.

"Well of course, you are 'The Fox' after all." Hermione said, At this Naruto nodded with a smile.

"Anyway we should head to bed, it's late." Naruto said as he started to leave, closely followed behind by the others.


End file.
